


Better Than Revenge

by Aelfgyfu



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Episode Related, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-31
Updated: 2010-10-31
Packaged: 2017-10-13 00:06:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 28,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/130652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aelfgyfu/pseuds/Aelfgyfu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Shades of Grey" with an epilogue, all from Teal'c's point of view.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better Than Revenge

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Brilliant Husband for his careful proofreading;  
> to Redbyrd, for careful readings, good suggestions—and for filling out my understanding of what happened in "Out of Mind" and "Into the Fire" with her "Time Out of Mind" in [Foundations 7 from Pyramids Press](http://www.pyramidspress.com/foundations7.html);  
> to Aurora Novarum, whose ["Drawing Straws"](http://aurora-novarum.dreamwidth.org/14037.html) provided an invaluable reminder that Jack's "retirement" to Edora did not mean the team would never see him again and gave me a push to do my version of events from Teal'c's point of view;  
> and to all those whose "Shades of Grey" missing scenes and epilogues I've read and internalized so that I no longer know whose ideas I may have borrowed.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters belong to MGM-UA, Gekko, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions, Stargate SG-1, Showtime/Viacom, NBC/Sci Fi, and no doubt other persons or entities whom I've forgotten (this list keeps getting longer). No copyright infringement is intended. In fact, my stories make no sense if you haven't seen the shows, so I encourage you to watch! And get all the DVDs! Just like I do!

Teal'c's suit felt odd. DanielJackson and MajorCarter had assured him that he looked good in it, but it seemed stiffer and less natural than the Jaffa armor he used to wear. Perhaps it was the newness of the suit, purchased specifically for this occasion. DanielJackson had told him that he would "break it in"—a phrase he also used for footwear. And DanielJackson had been correct about Tau'ri boots "breaking in."  
   
Yet DanielJackson looked not entirely comfortable in his own suit and kept making minute adjustments to his own clothing. O'Neill told him to "stop fidgeting" and finally slapped his hand as they walked toward the Tollan council room. The team's youngest member was anxious. He had invested much time and effort in this presentation, and he kept voicing his concerns that the Tollans would simply dismiss his appeal for exchange.  
   
Nonetheless, eagerness also betrayed itself in DanielJackson's steps. He had been thrilled when the Chancellor agreed to this meeting only four days before. Teal'c did not think the archaeologist had slept much since the SGC received the news.  
   
MajorCarter was also eager, but she seemed more comfortable—with herself and with her clothing. She wore her dress uniform rarely, but she had told him before that she used to wear it regularly at the Pentagon.  
   
And O'Neill projected nonchalance despite the dress uniform he preferred not to wear. Indeed, he projected it so strongly that Teal'c suspected he must be covering nervousness of his own. They all knew how jealously the Tollans guarded their knowledge—and how valuable that knowledge could be.  
   
Teal'c did not understand Tau'ri clothing. It reminded him that he would always be an alien, no matter how long he stayed on Earth. He had been on Earth for almost three full years now, but it was not home.  
   
On the other hand, O'Neill had always lived on Earth, and he had told Teal'c that he did not understand the reasons for such garb either. He allowed himself to be overheard, resulting in a joint lecture from DanielJackson and MajorCarter: the former explained dress customs through the ages, while the latter gave them dark looks and interspersed comments on demonstrating respect for one's allies. O'Neill had inserted a comment about allies engaging in exchange, but he was ignored by his teammates.  
   
Teal'c allowed himself only the slightest hope that DanielJackson's efforts would secure some benefit for the Tau'ri. Certainly DanielJackson spoke well, and the Tollans he had helped escape remembered how he stood between them and Earth weapons, even when Maybourne ordered the men to fire. Some of those Tollans had influence now, particularly Omac, as they had learned during their last visit. Yet the memory of DanielJackson standing before the weapons necessarily evoked the memory of those weapons being raised against them. The Tollans had good reason to fear sharing their technology, having seen the damage it could wreak. At the same time, they were a proud people who underestimated the Tau'ri; like their other advanced allies, the Tollans assumed that the humans of the First World would be guilty of the worst mistakes they could imagine.  
   
The walk to the council chambers was a short one through the bright morning sunshine of Tollana. The Tollans thought nothing of placing their seat of government within a staff weapon's reach of the Gate. Teal'c thought the placement ill-considered and noted that despite the events surrounding Triad, no guards were posted.  
   
"Just another sign of Tollan overconfidence, Teal'c," O'Neill agreed.  
   
"I don't know about that, Jack," DanielJackson responded. "I think keeping the Gate right in the center of things emphasizes a commitment to life beyond Tollana, much like the location of our own country's seat of government in Washington, D.C. emphasizes relations with Europe."  
   
"Are you nuts? About the Tollans, I mean. Not so much Europe."  
   
"Well, they did invite us here, and they're willing to hear our proposal for closer relations, Jack! They wouldn't do that unless they wanted better relations with us!" DanielJackson continued to talk about the unparalleled opportunity until they reached the council chambers and were waved in by a functionary. Again, there appeared to be no guard.  
   
The team reached the council chambers and had hardly been seated before the Chancellor arrived. They rose immediately; the Chancellor's greeting was brief, a "Welcome back" to the team as a whole and a particular smile for DanielJackson. A small nod to Teal'c was probably meant to acknowledge Teal'c's role in preserving Tollana from Zipacna's surprise attack, and Teal'c nodded back.  
   
Though Travell signalled them to sit, DanielJackson remained on his feet. The Tollans did not stand on ceremony like many other races, despite their pride, but DanielJackson often found it difficult to sit still at important moments. He wasted little time on formalities, asking at once to establish diplomatic relations; Travell was equally celeritous in granting them.  
   
DanielJackson continued, "In that spirit we'd like to arrange for a trade."  
   
"What would you like to trade?" asked Travell.  
   
Teal'c could feel O'Neill tense slightly beside him as as DanielJackson answered, "Technology."  
   
Travell apologized, and even managed to work some small note of regret into her voice, saying that their laws forbade it; DanielJackson parried that laws could be changed.  
   
Teal'c was amazed at the speed of their conversation. He tried to imagine two Goa'uld being so blunt about their objectives. He failed. Two First Primes could meet for hours simply to set the conditions of their masters' meetings.  
   
"I assume you want weapons technology," Travell asked with a cordiality that was clearly becoming strained.  
   
"One of those ion cannons would be nice," O'Neill cut in over DanielJackson's answer.  
   
DanielJackson glanced at O'Neill but made no move to step in as O'Neill pressed but was forced to admit that he could not guarantee that his superiors would only use the weapons against the Goa'uld.  
   
As she rejected the request, Travell's voice held that little note of superiority that Teal'c knew irritated O'Neill deeply, especially from an "ally" who would not offer overt help of any kind.  
   
"You know what?" O'Neill asked in what Teal'c had learned long ago was a rhetorical question. "Forget it."  
   
What? Was this some new strategy of which Teal'c had not been apprised?  
   
"Jack?" Clearly DanielJackson had not been apprised of it either.  
   
"We knew you wouldn't give us anything. We're wasting a lot of time here."  
   
O'Neill's words shocked Teal'c. They had discussed the possibility of failure—a probability, O'Neill deemed it—but they had only arrived. The time invested to this point had been DanielJackson's, and surely the linguist himself was best positioned to judge whether time was being wasted?  
   
"Jack…."  
   
"No, Daniel. Let's go."  
   
O'Neill left the room abruptly. MajorCarter followed, with a look of shock on her face that she quickly concealed. DanielJackson and Teal'c fell into line behind them. This behavior made little sense. O'Neill would surely explain. Perhaps he had noticed something Teal'c had not. He frowned.  
   
Teal'c looked around them systematically as they walked. He was surprised that Travell and her people made no move to come after them. Then again, the Tollans clearly felt they had little to gain from any exchange with the Tau'ri. But they had granted the audience for a reason, had they not?  
   
"What are you doing?" Daniel asked, perhaps even more bewildered than Teal'c was.  
   
"We never should have saved their technologically superior butts."  
   
Teal'c had known O'Neill to say such things jokingly before, but his expression was serious, and his forceful tread conveyed controlled anger. Teal'c must have missed something that would make sense of this behavior.  
   
Then, suddenly, O'Neill stopped. "It's that thing they disable our weapons with, isn't it?" he asked, pointing at a lighted portion of the outer wall.  
   
"As well as the Goa'uld technology," Teal'c agreed.  
   
"Don't even think about it," Daniel cautioned, anticipating O'Neill's actions while Teal'c watched in amazement.  
   
O'Neill ignored his friend and easily removed a piece of the wall; Teal'c could feel MajorCarter stiffening. He considered adding his words to DanielJackson's, but what more could he say? If O'Neill did not listen to DanielJackson, he would surely not listen to Teal'c.  
   
"Sir, isn't this against regulations?"  
   
MajorCarter's pointed question did not stop O'Neill. Nor did anyone or anything else, to Teal'c's surprise. No alarms sounded as O'Neill pried the device out of the wall. No one ran to them; no one even seemed to be within sight. Could the Tollan be _that_ overconfident? Even the Goa'uld, who had been defeated time after time due to pride and blindness to anyone else's abilities, would not have made a weapon so easy to steal. Did the Tollan not care that O'Neill was taking this device?  
   
"I suppose it is, Carter. Let's go."  
   
O'Neill knew something that the others did not. O'Neill had saved his team, even Earth itself, by doing things that Teal'c did not always understand at the time. MajorCarter threw a concerned look at Teal'c; he could not respond.  
   
"Kind of crossing the line," Daniel added, not sharing Teal'c's conviction.  
   
"Shut up, Daniel," O'Neill replied sharply, resuming his rapid pace towards the Stargate. MajorCarter had to run a few steps to catch up. He did not say another word to his teammates, who seemed speechless now, even DanielJackson, on the remainder of their short journey.  
   
Teal'c hoped that the causes of O'Neill's actions would soon be revealed; he could see the strain on his other teammates already.  
   
Teal'c had known O'Neill to make mistakes, of course, but most had occurred in the team's early days and involved matters difficult or impossible to foresee or split-second judgments. O'Neill could not have anticipated that Kawalsky had been compromised by a Goa'uld, or that the food Kynthia offered was drugged. He did not realize that DanielJackson had not been unchained when they attempted to escape from Pyrus's mine.  
   
Many of O'Neill's surprises, even errors, worked for the best. Even his initial selection of team members had been, on the face of it, absurd. While keeping the child Merrin on Earth a little longer had imperiled relations with the Orbanians, in the end his actions brought new hope to children whose lives would otherwise have become a drudgery of mindless stagnation. His choice to trust Charlie and his Reetou mother saved Earth from the other Reetou.  
   
Yet Teal'c had to admit he could not see how this decision could be rational or beneficial. The short-term gain from stealing one such device could surely not balance the tremendous damage the theft incurred!  
   
*****  
   
Technician Harriman seemed surprised at the return of SG-1, but Hammond betrayed nothing as he ordered them to the infirmary once they stepped down the ramp.  
   
"Brought you something, General!" O'Neill cried cheerfully, waving the device he had stolen minutes before.  
   
Teal'c saw MajorCarter and DanielJackson exchange a look. The major shook her head just slightly, and the archaeologist ducked his head while O'Neill handed the device to an airman and left the room.  
   
Because the Tollans were allies and this had been on a diplomatic mission, the post-mission physical was a brief formality. DanielJackson attempted twice to engage O'Neill in conversation or, more likely, argument, but O'Neill would not respond, and DanielJackson terminated both attempts when people approached close enough to hear.  
   
Why did O'Neill not explain himself for doing something that seemed so obviously wrong? Yet it would do little good to inquire before he was ready, especially when he so easily ignored his teammates' obvious discomfort.  
   
Teal'c found himself wishing that they had been given a more thorough physical as he began to wonder: had O'Neill been compromised? He had seemed normal until his abrupt departure from Tollana, and he had even not seemed short-tempered to that point, as he occasionally did; why, then, would he tell his teammate to "shut up," particularly when that teammate had been placed in charge of the diplomatic mission? Why did he ignore the younger man even now?  
   
O'Neill was released first and Teal'c third. By the time Teal'c entered the locker room, DanielJackson had finished changing into his BDUs but was waiting on a bench when Teal'c entered the locker room to put on his own everyday clothing.  
   
"What the hell is wrong with Jack?" the younger man asked Teal'c as Teal'c began removing his suit.  
   
Teal'c took off and hung each piece of clothing carefully; perhaps he would need this uniform soon again. "I do not understand O'Neill's actions," he conceded. "Did you speak with him—"  
   
"No, he was gone when I got here." DanielJackson stared at the floor and shook his head. "Has he lost his _mind_? What can he _possibly_ tell General Hammond? How could he put _Sam_ in that position?"  
   
The flow of questions did not really permit an answer, and his teammate did not really want answers to those questions anyway.  
   
"Well," DanielJackson continued, as if he had asked no questions, "Hammond knows about the device, so we're going to have to explain how we got it. What do you think Jack will say?" This time he did look at Teal'c expectantly.  
   
"I do not know."  
   
DanielJackson frowned. He was obviously expecting more from Teal'c.  
   
Teal'c obliged. "What will you say?"  
   
That did not appear to be the response his companion sought. "I don't know," he said at last, standing as Teal'c began lacing up his boots.  
   
"O'Neill must have some reason," Teal'c said finally.  
   
"I hope you're right," DanielJackson replied.  
   
Their walk to the briefing room was silent—not what O'Neill called "comfortable silence" when he shared it with Teal'c. Teal'c reminded himself again of the apparently irrational things that O'Neill did that turned out for the best.  
   
They found the other half of the team already in the conference room. MajorCarter now held the device that O'Neill had taken; she turned it over in her hands, not speaking to her teammates.  
   
"Sam," DanielJackson said with a nod, sitting opposite O'Neill instead of beside him as he normally did. He refused to acknowledge the team leader at all.  
   
MajorCarter looked back at DanielJackson unhappily. From the tension in her body, Teal'c was certain that they had not yet told GeneralHammond what had transpired. Indeed, GeneralHammond was on the phone in his office.  
   
Teal'c went to look out the window onto the Gate, trying to calm himself before the debriefing. He anxiously awaited O'Neill's explanation of his behavior.  
   
His teammates continued not to speak, and when GeneralHammond emerged from the office, Teal'c took the empy seat next to O'Neill.  
   
O'Neill told him the purpose of the device and added, "Worked on us. And the Goa'uld." Why was O'Neill so casual about this? And why did he bring in Teal'c's reminder of the device's effectiveness against their enemy, as if Teal'c were complicit in the theft?  
   
The General was deceived by O'Neill's easy tone. "It should come in handy. Good job." His huge smile would have been a welcome sight at any other time, but Teal'c found he was waiting, as O'Neill liked to say, for the other shoe to drop. Teal'c did enjoy their metaphors, even though he liked to examine them, usually by querying one or more of his friends. Now, however, was not the time for such questions.  
   
"Thank you, sir." O'Neill gave MajorCarter a look, but she refused to meet his eyes.  
   
Teal'c was increasingly disturbed. Would not O'Neill reveal what he had done? And why he had done it? He felt confident, however, that O'Neill would not force MajorCarter to choose between following her commanding officer's lead and fully debriefing the head of the facility. Nor would he force DanielJackson to choose between GeneralHammond and his best friend.  
   
"So, what did you have to promise them in return, Dr Jackson?"  
   
"Actually, General, we didn't…uh…have to promise to give them anything."  
   
DanielJackson must still be trying to decide exactly what to say. How did one tell what O'Neill had done without understanding it? Or perhaps he was so angry he did not trust himself to speak much. That was wise; sometimes he said hurtful things in anger and regretted them later.  
   
Hammond was obviously perplexed. "They just gave you the device as a reward for saving them from the Goa'uld?" That was a reasonable guess, certainly. It was a shame his hypothesis was incorrect.  
   
Teal'c again waited for O'Neill to, in his expression, "'fess up." As the moments passed, he began to wonder if he should speak up himself. Perhaps the best approach was simply to say that O'Neill had taken the device. He found himself unwilling to meet the eyes of any of his teammates; the hurt in MajorCarter and DanielJackson's eyes was even more painful than the hope in GeneralHammond's.  
   
Part of Teal'c, however, thought that speaking up would be too easy on O'Neill, who seemed to be waiting for someone else to talk. O'Neill himself should be forced to speak. It seemed increasingly that he had _no_ good reason for what he had done. How could that be?  
   
Finally, DanielJackson said, "Actually, General, the Tollan refused to give us any technology."  
   
"Offered us a nice fruit basket, though."  
   
Even now O'Neill did not confess! Teal'c knew that he often dealt with difficult situations by joking, but this had gone too far. Teal'c felt genuine anger kindling with in him. O'Neill was not diffusing an awkward moment for others, but making light of a serious situation that _he_ had created.  
   
The general asked MajorCarter to explain, but she could only stammer, and Teal'c was on the verge of speaking when O'Neill finally made an honorable move.  
   
"I took it, sir," he said.  
   
DanielJackson sat unnaturally still, and MajorCarter seemed frozen in place.  
   
"You _stole_ it?" GeneralHammond had finally grasped the heart of the matter.  
   
"I like to think of it as borrowed, sir. Major Carter can figure out how to reproduce it, and we'll give it back." Even now O'Neill seemed not to realize his danger—or not to care. "They won't retaliate, if that's what you're worried about. Not their way, right, Daniel?"  
   
DanielJackson sat in silence and, if anything, increased the intensity of his glare at O'Neill's attempt to co-opt DanielJackson to his side. He made it sound as though the archaeologist had been part of the theft! Now it was Teal'c who did not trust his own voice.  
   
"This command has already been accused of stealing from several other alien cultures, Colonel. Until now, we've denied it. Perhaps that was a bit premature. Dare I ask how many other items you've stolen?"  
   
"None. This is the first." The statement was flat, factual.  
   
"Colonel, you don't seem to understand how serious this matter is. You and your team have committed a court-martiable offence."  
   
"To be fair, General, I did it. Carter and Daniel protested." Finally, O'Neill acknowledged the seriousness of his actions. "And Teal'c…well he really didn't say anything but I could tell he was opposed to my actions by the way he cocked his head and sort of raised his eyebrow…" Or perhaps he did _not_ acknowledge the seriousness.  
   
"Enough, Colonel." GeneralHammond turned his gaze away from the Colonel and towards the others. "Dr. Jackson, Major Carter, and Teal'c. You will return this device immediately to the Tollan and hopefully smooth over what must be some very ruffled feathers."  
   
MajorCarter seemed relieved—whether at not being implicated or at having something to do, Teal'c was uncertain.  
   
Yet even then O'Neill continued to argue. Why did O'Neill not simply acknowledge he was wrong? Teal'c still did not understand the American military well enough to be certain what would happen next, but surely this course of action was unwise. DanielJackson's question echoed in Teal'c's mind: "What the hell is wrong with Jack?"  
   
Hammond attempted to cut off O'Neill, but O'Neill simply interrupted him: "Well, with no due respect, General, that's just plain stupid."  
   
How could O'Neill say such things?  
   
"And since the Pentagon won't approve our backup program, we have no choice!" he continued, raising his voice.  
   
Backup program? What was this? Teal'c looked at his teammates, but they seemed ignorant as well.  
   
"Colonel, do not go there," Hammond cautioned.  
   
O'Neill shouted, "We have no choice but to take whatever steps we need to get what we need!"  
   
"As long as I am in command of the SGC, we will hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards." At least GeneralHammond was behaving normally.  
   
"And when the Goa'uld wipe us out because we have nothing with which to defend ourselves, I'm sure we'll all feel great about ourselves and our high moral standards!"  
   
Surely O'Neill had been compromised somehow. Such words might pass his lips in a moment of extreme frustration, but never before his commanding officer.  
   
"Colonel O'Neill, you are out of line!" GeneralHammond admonished. "Now stand down!"  
   
For a moment, Teal'c was uncertain what O'Neill would do, but finally the warrior sat back and closed his mouth. The looks of hurt, even loss, from DanielJackson and MajorCarter's seemed not to affect the colonel at all.  
   
"Colonel O'Neill, I am hereby relieving you of your command. You are to report to the Infirmary and stay there until I send for you."  
   
GeneralHammond too thought O'Neill must have been compromised.  
   
Even then O'Neill did not cease, but sounds from below cut short the verbal battle. The Gate could be heard, and the technician announced an inbound wormhole.  
   
Hammond repeated, "Now get down the Infirmary and submit yourself for a complete examination!"  
   
Everyone stood except DanielJackson.  
   
GeneralHammond ordered Teal'c to bring O'Neill to the infirmary, concluding, "you are no longer under Colonel O'Neill's command. Is that understood?"  
   
Teal'c acknowledged and followed O'Neill. O'Neill stalked silently to the elevator and pushed the call button, but he offered no apology or explanation. Teal'c stood rigidly in silence. He saw O'Neill turn slightly towards him. Teal'c turned fully toward the other man and fixed him with his gaze. O'Neill shifted to face the elevator.  
   
Teal'c wanted to ask a question, but O'Neill's answers so far had been unhelpful. Perhaps some alien entity or substance was involved. It might be best to wait until the doctor had completed her examination. In the meantime, if his silence made O'Neill uncomfortable, all the better.  
   
The elevator arrived, and Teal'c stepped in immediately after O'Neill and pointedly watched the man press the button for the correct floor.  
   
"Oh, come off it!" O'Neill exclaimed. "Don't act so—holier-than-thou. Like _you've_ never…."  
   
Teal'c simply looked at O'Neill, who let the sentence drop.  
   
As the elevator pinged and the doors open, O'Neill shrugged. "Just doing what I should have done long before," he said as he walked through. "Wish I'd gotten something better, though, if there's going to be this much fuss about it."  
   
"O'Neill, your words—and your actions—are unworthy of you!" Teal'c said in spite of himself.  
   
"You'd be surprised," said O'Neill, no trace of humor or apology in his voice.  
   
Teal'c walked at O'Neill's shoulder into the infirmary, where DoctorFrasier was on the telephone, obviously with the general. She frowned at the two of them and hung up.  
   
"Hop up," she said coldly, waving a hand towards an examination table.  
   
The examination proceeded normally. It was far more extensive than DoctorFrasier's initial checks upon the team's return, and indeed more extensive than a normal post-mission physical. Teal'c found some comfort in the procedures. Surely they would find something to explain O'Neill's behavior.  
   
Teal'c remained close to his friend, never moving beyond two meters away except when the doctor or a technician required him to step back for a scan. X-rays, MRI, CT scan. O'Neill complained, but sullenly, not with humor. No one responded, for DoctorFrasier had informed her staff that O'Neill's behavior had been suspicious and they were to treat him with caution. Multiple vials of blood were drawn.  
   
Teal'c kept his gaze fixed on his friend. Partly, he needed to be prepared should the man do something entirely unexpected; until DoctorFrasier verified that O'Neill had not been compromised, the possibility remained that he might harm someone, even himself. Partly, Teal'c wanted to signal him that he should not presume upon their friendship. Whether O'Neill acted of his own volition or not, Teal'c had sworn his loyalty to the Tau'ri and their cause, not to O'Neill personally. If O'Neill had begun to act against the other Tau'ri and against their cause, then Teal'c could no longer take his side.  
   
Again and again, Teal'c replayed the day in his mind—then the previous day, and then the day before that, until he had recalled every moment with O'Neill since he found him safe and sound on Edora a mere two weeks earlier. He could not find any uncharacteristic behavior before this day. Nor did his review illuminate any moments at which O'Neill could have been exposed to any alien influence. Since his return from accidental exile, he had taken some "personal" time, much of which he had spent with his teammates—his friends. Then he had returned to the routine at the SGC. Tollana was their first off-world mission since O'Neill's return. Teal'c could find no opportunity for nor evidence of anything amiss with O'Neill aside from the obvious behavioral aberrations.  
   
Teal'c hoped for a moment of sudden revelation, the discovery of an alien substance or device. Yet he had to admit to himself—and then to DoctorFrasier when she asked—that he could find nothing unusual in O'Neill besides the already noted actions and sour mood. O'Neill glared at medical personnel who dodged his glance and muttered—or sometimes growled—imprecations, which the personnel ignored.  
   
Yet how could O'Neill turn his back on the cause to which he himself had won over Teal'c? Teal'c could not comprehend what could make the man he had now known for almost three years behave in this manner. In Teal'c's experience, the approach of death told one virtually everything one needed to know about a man—or a woman. O'Neill and he had faced death repeatedly, had accepted it more than once and then rejoiced to survive. He _knew_ O'Neill; how could the man be so incomprehensible now?  
   
Perhaps the aberrations were not so aberrant after all? There were things about the Tau'ri Teal'c still had yet to comprehend. Even O'Neill had secrets; he and Teal'c had lived and fought together for weeks before Teal'c even knew O'Neill had once had a son. Much about O'Neill's past remained unknown. Yet Teal'c could not blame him, as he had kept the existence of his own family secret too. And over a lifetime, one experienced much that simply never arose in conversation. Had Teal'c missed some crucial clue about his friend's character?  
   
Teal'c had always believed O'Neill to be an honorable man, committed to the ideals that GeneralHammond had named.  
   
O'Neill had mentioned a backup program that the Pentagon had not approved. Could that be the cause of his behavior? Yet it made little sense for O'Neill to be so upset about something he had never seen fit to mention to Teal'c nor, it seemed, to his teammates. Teal'c would ask the others, but he did not understand how Pentagon refusal of an SGC plan, even one O'Neill had formulated himself, could result in theft. When the Stargate program had been shut down by foolish politicans, O'Neill violated orders—but only to save his planet, on the strength of DanielJackson's word, and with the help of his friends. O'Neill occasionally took his anger out on the wrong person, but to take anger against his own military out on the Tollan, and on his team….  
   
Incomprehensible. That was the word to which Teal'c kept returning. But nothing was incomprehensible forever. The "gods" had their secrets, and those had been revealed. Master Bra'tac's behavior had occasionally seemed bizarre over the years, but Teal'c had learned within the last three what a complex double game his mentor had been playing for decades now. O'Neill must have his reasons!  
   
Finally DoctorFrasier told O'Neill to put his clothes back on. Teal'c frowned even further. If DoctorFrasier had found anything, she would at least keep O'Neill for further testing. What if the tests all proved negative? What if there was nothing wrong with O'Neill?  
   
That was not an option. Clearly _something_ was wrong with O'Neill. But if it was not detectable…. Tealc had known warriors before who had, in O'Neill's words, "lost it." They ceased to be themselves. Usually, however, that followed some significant event—deaths of those close, the loss of rank and honor, or worst, the commission of acts for which they could not forgive themselves. O'Neill had endured most or all of these. But not recently.  
   
"What?" O'Neill smirked at Teal'c as he put his pants back on. "You thought there was something wrong with me?"  
   
Teal'c decided that silence would be the best policy here. O'Neill seemed to want an argument; Teal'c would deny him one. Perhaps that would goad him into saying something meaningful. If he did not, GeneralHammond would have no choice. He could not allow this man to lead SG-1, whatever his past character and deeds.  
   
DoctorFrasier returned with a file and declared that the tests they had completed showed nothing unusual; they awaited more results.  
   
O'Neill said something rude and slid off the exam table to come to a halt in front of Tealc. Teal'c did not move but looked O'Neill full in the face.  
   
"Excuse me," O'Neill had the gall to say, meeting Teal'c's gaze with a glare.  
   
"I am to keep you here until General Hammond is ready for you," Teal'c replied blandly. O'Neill had heard the order as well as he had.  
   
"Get out of my way, Teal'c. That's an order." O'Neill also knew that Teal'c was not to take orders from him anymore.  
   
Yet silence seemed to accomplish nothing. "I do not understand your behavior, O'Neill," Teal'c said with more control than he felt.  
   
Instead of answering, O'Neill growled, "Get out of my way!"  
   
Teal'c maintained a calm silence, or at least the appearance of one. How could he be calm when the man who had convinced him to give up everything he knew, even to walk away from his own family, seemed no longer to be the man he had been that unforgettable day in Apophis's dungeon? And the man he had fought beside for years now? Truly, he felt fury, and only O'Neill's past deeds and the lingering suspicion that there was more to O'Neill's behavior today than met the eye kept him from violence.  
   
The telephone rang. DoctorFrasier acknowledged the call and sent O'Neill and Teal'c back downstairs: the general had summoned them.  
   
Teal'c followed O'Neill in silence, staying two steps back; if he would not answer, it did no good to ask. Inquiry merely allowed O'Neill to become more defensive. For the first time, Teal'c regretted that O'Neill never seemed intimidated by his strength the way many on base did.  
   
O'Neill's movements seemed again studiedly casual. Teal'c allowed him to disembark on the control room level rather than the level above, where GeneralHammond's office was, and he followed O'Neill off the elevator, remaining close. What could he possibly think would come of such behavior? He even greeted MajorCarter, but when she asked if she could do anything for him, he pretended nothing was wrong.  
   
"Well, sir, with respect," she said carefully, "you weren't exactly acting like yourself."  
   
"No, Carter. I haven't been acting like myself since I met you. _Now_ I'm acting like myself."  
   
Teal'c nodded to her but could not stay to offer any comfort to MajorCarter as they continued on their way to GeneralHammond's office, though he had seen the sadness in her eyes and in her posture. He kept his own gaze on O'Neill—not so much waiting for an unexpected move as hoping now for some small clue.  
   
What did his words to MajorCarter mean? Teal'c summoned everything he knew about the SGC before his arrival. He did not know much; he had been a part of the operation almost since GeneralHammond assumed control and had never felt much curiosity about what preceded his involvement. MajorCarter had only met O'Neill shortly before Teal'c did. But DanielJackson had known him on that earlier mission. Perhaps he could shed some light. O'Neill seemed to be going out of his way to be offensive, taking a less direct route in order to—in order to do what? Make more cutting remarks on his way to GeneralHammond's office?  
   
Apparently so, for they encountered Chancellor Travell and DanielJackson leaving the briefing room with another Tollan whose name Teal'c did not know, and O'Neill snapped, "Well, look who's here! Come to retrieve your vastly superior stuff? You know, it would be a lot more superior if it wasn't so easy to steal."  
   
DanielJackson said nothing and continued to walk away.  
   
Hammond barked from his office, "Colonel O'Neill! Get in here and take a seat!"  
   
DanielJackson's silence worried Teal'c's more than Travell's did. Teal'c did not much care what Travell thought, and he had confidence that DanielJackson could "smooth ruffled feathers," as Hammond had said. His words had done much for Teal'c at the Cor-Ai, and indeed he had won over Tollans before: even the reserved Omac seemed to maintain a certain warmth for the young Tau'ri, and DanielJackson had been most effective in Triad.  
   
As Travell departed, Teal'c also had to concede some truth in O'Neill's earlier words: the Tollans had done the Tau'ri little good. They had helped Skaara only because Klorel had crashed his ship on their planet; they had never given anything else of value to the Tau'ri. Yet it would be unwise to make enemies of them.  
   
O'Neill sat in GeneralHammond's office; Teal'c had neither been invited nor forbidden, and when GeneralHammond told him to close the door, he did not say which side Teal'c should be on. Teal'c closed the door behind him as he stepped into the small office.  
   
"By God, Jack, you've really crossed the line here." Hammond's anger was obvious, but his concern was evident as well.  
   
"In terms of my insubordination toward you, you're absolutely right, General," O'Neill said, to Teal'c's surprise; it seemed out of keeping with his manner moments ago. "And for that, I'm truly sorry." But he continued, "I still think what I did was right."  
   
"I just met with two members of the Tollan High Council who disagree."  
   
Teal'c's respect for GeneralHammond grew at the clear but polite rebuff.  
   
"So the Tollan are dictating our policies now, eh?"  
   
"The victims of a crime are demanding that the perpetrator be dealt with appropriately," Hammond said more mildly than Teal'c would have.  
   
"I'm a criminal?" O'Neill asked.  
   
How could he even ask such a question? He knew the answer.  
   
"What you've done here is clearly a court-martialable offence. I have to press charges," Hammond said, regret tingeing his voice.  
   
"Well…by all means, General, do what you have to do." O'Neill gave up nothing.  
   
"I do have one other option I can offer you, Jack."  
   
Teal'c was a little surprised and felt momentarily hopeful. Was there some ceremony by which O'Neill could restore his honor? Some act of atonement?  
   
But that option turned out to be "early retirement." An odd term, given that O'Neill had retired at least once before.  
   
"All this for one little indiscretion."  
   
Hammond picked up the thick folder on top of his desk and immediately began listing charges. Teal'c recalled them all: most came from their attempts to keep the Stargate open when Kinsey came to close it—and with actions that saved Earth! Those charges were meaningless, surely! "Kidnapping an alien child" had not done any harm in the end and had in fact done good, as Teal'c himself had thought earlier that day.  
   
"The proverbial straw, sir?" O'Neill asked tiredly.  
   
Teal'c was alarmed at this change in tone. He wanted O'Neill to accept responsibility, not to give up the fight! But he could not say anything; the other two men seemed to have forgotten that he was in the room.  
   
"You got it. I'd accept the offer if I were you, Jack. Beats the hell out of the prison time you'd get otherwise." Hammond offered this advice as a friend, not as a superior.  
   
O'Neill did not hesitate long. "Then I guess I'm retired."  
   
Teal'c stood there in shock for a moment after O'Neill left Hammond's office. Then he started after O'Neill, to tell him how he had dishonored himself, to ask him how he could abandon the fight, to force the man to answer—but the general called him back.  
   
"Let him go, Teal'c. It's over."  
   
Teal'c stopped. "GeneralHammond, DoctorFrasier has not yet completed all her tests. Perhaps she will find something wrong with Colonel O'Neill." He permitted himself the luxury of retaining that hope. "We cannot allow…."  
   
Hammond shook his head sadly. "I hate to say it, son, but I really don't think she's going to find anything. Sometimes…it all just gets to be too much for some people."  
   
"But GeneralHammond—"  
   
"Teal'c." GeneralHammond looked at Teal'c with a compassion that Teal'c did not care to see in his eyes. He appreciated what Hammond meant, but that look meant something terrible. The last time he had seen that look, they had left O'Neill stranded on a planet suffering catastrophic meteor showers. The time before…. The time before, Teal'c had carried the body of DanielJackson's wife through the Gate as O'Neill and MajorCarter carried their unconscious teammate through on a stretcher.  
   
"Teal'c, I think…I think Colonel O'Neill has just…well, like I said, had too much." GeneralHammond chose his words carefully, yet still they did not come smoothly. "He has put up a hell of a fight. He has…he has lost some good friends. He has been…unable to keep a promise to a friend." His promise to DanielJackson that they would rescue his wife. Teal'c dropped his eyes. He could not look at the general.  
   
"That was not O'Neill's failure, GeneralHammond. That was my own," Teal'c said softly. He did not have voice enough to speak any louder on this point.  
   
"That's not the point," the general said hurriedly. "It's just…he's tired. Damn tired. He's been fighting for years and years, with…rules and limits that the enemy don't have. And that's the way of war, very often. We have to do what's right, even when they don't. But that just…got to be too much, I guess."  
   
Teal'c raised his eyes again to find that same look of compassion and sadness still on Hammond's face.  
   
"Let him go, Teal'c," the general repeated. "There's nothing you can _do_. He _has_ to retire. You can't talk him into coming back, because he _can't_ come back to the SGC; to return to service would mean to face prosecution for his actions today."  
   
"But Colonel O'Neill has saved Earth. He has risked death—even _suffered_ death—for the people of this command and this planet. He has risked his life for others on other worlds."  
   
"And that, Teal'c, is why I could offer him retirement," the general said with a small smile that held no hope. "Most officers would never have had that option; they would be spending a number of years in prison instead."  
   
Teal'c's shoulders slumped a little before he could control himself. He could accomplish nothing here. In fact, he could accomplish nothing at all for O'Neill. O'Neill had already made his choices.  
   
"Thank you, GeneralHammond." Teal'c bowed to the man. "I offer my gratitude for what you have done for Colonel O'Neill, and all you do for SG-1." He left the office.  
   
Perhaps he could do nothing more for O'Neill; at the moment, he did not even wish to do anything for O'Neill. But he knew from experience that his feelings on the matter would change.  
   
Yet Teal'c had things he had to do for _himself_. O'Neill's behavior that day had shaken him. If it were not O'Neill, anger would be a sufficient response. But it was O'Neill.  
   
He had to grapple with what O'Neill had done, how the man who convinced him to leave Apophis's service—to rebel openly and free people he had never seen before that day—could abandon the fight against the Goa'uld, a fight not only to preserve the people of O'Neill's own planet, but peoples throughout the galaxy—including the Jaffa.  
   
Teal'c had thought O'Neill could help lead the victory that would free the Jaffa. Now it appeared he had been mistaken. He must at least understand how and why. He must know what had afflicted O'Neill's soul so badly that he could abandon the fight when he was not even half Teal'c's age, and how he could have so misjudged his friend and fellow warrior.  
   
And he did not entirely believe GeneralHammond, though he knew the man to be honorable. The Tau'ri lived short lives; they tended to be short-sighted. Perhaps O'Neill could yet serve in some capacity. Teal'c could not believe that the fight was over for his comrade-in-arms.  
   
Teal'c knew that he would find both the others in DanielJackson's office, and he was not disappointed. He managed, on the walk there, to push away his anger for a time. He was, however, surprised to find them sitting in silence, one on each side of the desk, just looking at each other.  
   
"Teal'c!" DanielJackson greeted him warmly but then fell silent and looked away, apparently finding nothing else to say.  
   
"The general called," MajorCarter explained. "He told us…what happened."  
   
Teal'c realized that DanielJackson was not really looking at the major; he was glaring at the phone.  
   
"He only told us over the phone because he realized you'd come right down and tell us, Teal'c," MajorCarter explained further. "I'm sure otherwise…."  
   
"You'd think _Jack_ could manage to come down and tell us," the archaeologist spat out. "Or _at least_ call!"  
   
SamanthaCarter had no answer for that.  
   
"How did he seem, Teal'c?" she asked him, and suddenly Daniel's eyes were on him as well.  
   
Teal'c hesitated before he answered. "Resigned," he said quietly.  
   
"Yes, we know he—oh," DanielJackson interrupted him impatiently but then realized what Teal'c was saying. His eyes opened wider. "So he just accepted it?"  
   
"He had no other choice, Daniel," MajorCarter said, hunching her shoulders a little. "He…it's…it's over."  
   
"It's not _over_ ," Daniel yelled. "We've still got Goa'uld—I think Jack kind of noticed that." He had a pen in his hand, and he stabbed a pile of papers with it. "How could he just—what the hell was he thinking, anyway? Did he think the general would still be saying, 'Great job!' when he found out _how_ Jack got the device?"  
   
"I don't _know_ what he was thinking, Daniel!" MajorCarter's voice was strained, and her irritation seemed partly directed at the archaeologist. Teal'c wondered how long they had been discussing the matter. "Maybe he _did_ think the general would just let us study it and return it." She folded her arms and leaned forward with her elbows on the desk. "I don't know."  
   
DanielJackson slammed his hand down on the papers, shaking the whole desk; MajorCarter pulled back from it abruptly with a glare. "Sorry, I—Teal'c, you were with him the whole time since…since the debriefing, right? Did he say _anything_?"  
   
"Nothing of import," Teal'c said, torn between sorrow and anger at O'Neill.  
   
"Maybe it didn't _seem_ like it was important…." Daniel looked appealingly at Teal'c, ignoring a look from SamanthaCarter.  
   
"O'Neill complained about the length of the tests and their number. He complained about having to undress. He complained about cold equipment and bright lights. He avoided actual conversation. He refused to answer any questions about his behavior. He mocked any idea that he may have been compromised." Teal'c listed everything. "This was not O'Neill's first offense against your military's code."  
   
"Not my military," DanielJackson murmured predictably. MajorCarter rolled her eyes.  
   
"It was, as he said, 'the last straw.' Perhaps if he had had no previous offenses…." he let the others complete the thought.  
   
"But—but it's not _like_ Jack!" DanielJackson looked like he might hit the desk again, but MajorCarter gave him a warning look even as she leaned back in the chair, and he pushed away from the desk to stand up instead. "Jack does dumb things, but…well, mostly he _says_ dumb things. This…came out of nowhere. And, damn it, if he wanted to risk his career for this, why not get something…bigger?"  
   
The question hung there until finally SamanthaCarter tried to answer. "He needed something he could take quickly and fit through the Gate."  
   
"But he didn't _need_ to take _anything!_ " Daniel said in exasperation. "And it got us exactly _nothing_! We got no benefit! Sam, do you think you could even have figured it out? And how much difference would it make…?"  
   
On the spot, MajorCarter froze. Finally, she shook her head. "I think Tollan technology is too far ahead of me; I'd probably need someone to explain it to me. Otherwise, it would take at least weeks, maybe months or years."  
   
"And what good would _one_ do?"  
   
"We'd have to funnel everyone past it; we'd have to redesign…." MajorCarter trailed off as she saw her companion shaking his head. She added, "And it would only help if they came through the Gate anyway. The iris is better protection; I'd have told the Colonel that, if only he'd asked."  
   
The two had no doubt covered this territory before, for they both looked at Teal'c now. MajorCarter asked, "Did he say anything to you? Did you have _any_ idea…?"  
   
"He said nothing to me before or after the…theft." The last word was distasteful, but was the deed.  
   
"There must be something," MajorCarter insisted. "If we could find _something_ , anything…. Well, let's think about it." Samantha began carefully pushing aside the papers on DanielJackson's desk, looking for something.  
   
The archaeologist threw himself back into his chair, pulled out a piece of paper with a few words, frowned at it, and crossed the words out before handing her the paper and pencil while Teal'c was still trying to figure out what she was doing.  
   
"Let's list the possibilities." MajorCarter started writing. "1. Alien influence. Okay, if that's the case, what are we talking about?"  
   
"It doesn't seem very purposeful," DanielJackson said slowly. "I mean, if someone—or something—were controlling him, we'd expect them to be either more subtle, or more forceful. If they want Jack off the team, or want to harm the Earth-Tollana alliance, that's an odd way to go about it."  
   
"But a sufficient one," Teal'c pointed out, pleased that they were doing something useful. Or potentially useful.  
   
"True," DanielJackson said. He looked up at Teal'c as if he was just noticing him. "Want to pull up a chair?" The archaeologist jumped up again and looked around. There was a couch strewn with books, and another chair was awaiting repair in the corner.  
   
Teal'c assured them that he did not need to sit.  
   
After a moment, MajorCarter continued. "Okay. So I have 1. Alien influence. Purpose: A. to have Colonel O'Neill removed from the team, or B. to disrupt our alliance with the Tollans. 'B' has no…actual benefits to anyone. It doesn't _really_ harm us…."  
   
And so the discussion went. DanielJackson pointed out that disrupting the alliance would have little real impact, and if that was the goal, it had failed anyway. But they all knew that if someone wanted O'Neill off the team, there were, as Teal'c noted, "more effective ways of being certain."  
   
"No, I don't think it's alien control," DanielJackson said. "I can't see how _aliens_ would get anything out of this. Even the things Urgo made us do made more sense than this." He paused. "So we're losing Jack over nothing."  
   
"Possibility 2," MajorCarter said. "Non-purposeful alien influence."  
   
DanielJackson nodded. "Something that would affect his behavior, maybe his mood. Could it have been something on Edora? Some virus? Or even something in the food supply? Ergot can cause hallucinations: some think it may have been responsible for the Salem Witch hysteria."  
   
MajorCarter, however, noted that he had showed no signs of trouble on Edora or in the days since his return. Teal'c watched his friends bounce ideas back and forth. As O'Neill would say, this never got old. Yet O'Neill would not be around to say that from now on; apparently it _had_ gotten old, or it did not matter enough for him to restrain himself.  
   
After some discussion, possibility 2 was put aside until DoctorFrasier found evidence. Teal'c truly wished he could ascribe O'Neill's actions to outside causes, as he had suggested to GeneralHammond, but increasingly he feared that he could not.  
   
MajorCarter finally asked, "Teal'c, did Colonel O'Neill say anything more about this 'backup plan' that the Pentagon turned down? Did General Hammond?"  
   
Teal'c had to respond in the negative.  
   
"Since when does getting one of our plans turned down constitute a reason for throwing everything away?" DanielJackson swung his arms. "It doesn't even constitute a reason for giving up on a plan! We usually come out okay, in the end."  
   
MajorCarter gaped. That "in the end" covered a whole lot—including some of the insubordination and disobeying orders that already littered O'Neill's file, and one of DanielJackson's near-death experiences.  
   
Teal'c found himself breaking the silence. "Perhaps that plan was, as O'Neill would say, 'the proverbial straw'."  
   
"He did…start a new life on Edora," MajorCarter recalled.  
   
Her teammate frowned at her. "But he was really glad to come back! I mean, wasn't he?" He chewed on his lip as they all remembered finding O'Neill not quite as glad to see them as they expected.  
   
"He did get close to…."  
   
"Laira," DanielJackson supplied. "But we're going back there. To check on them." He was still frowning.  
   
Teal'c remembered vividly the welcome sight of O'Neill's face when he emerged into the sunlight on Edora. He was not the only one thrilled to see a friend; O'Neill had been joyous. He had said his goodbyes to Laira faster than he had to a couple of the children on the planet, and Teal'c did not remember a personal pledge to Laira. He had heard O'Neill speak of a treaty to be negotiated, nothing more, and O'Neill had in fact led the team that went through to help the Edorans shortly after his return.  
   
MajorCarter wrinkled her nose. "He wouldn't give all this up for…."  
   
"No, I don't think he'd do it consciously. But he really _didn't_ think he'd see us again, apparently. If he thought he was stuck there, and he started making a life for himself"—he gestured around his crowded office—"it might be a bit of a shock to come back here."  
   
Teal'c saw DanielJackson's gaze stray to the photograph of his wife on the corner of his desk, and shame and guilt burned within him, but MajorCarter did not notice either of her friends' distraction.  
   
"He does like the outdoors," Samantha mused. "Fishing, fresh air all the time…."  
   
"No paperwork…." DanielJackson agreed quickly.  
   
"GeneralHammond did say that perhaps it had just 'gotten to be too much' for O'Neill," Teal'c volunteered.  
   
Two heads snapped around, and two pairs of blue eyes looked at him with surprise.  
   
"What else did Hammond say?" DanielJackson asked warily. "And did he say this…to _Jack_?"  
   
Teal'c shook his head. "After Colonel O'Neill had left his office, he told me that O'Neill had 'had too much.' He has not forgotten all that O'Neill has done, he said; that was the only reason why he was allowed to retire."  
   
DanielJackson looked at MajorCarter for an explanation; she explained that otherwise he would surely be tried and punished. He then began to argue that what Jack had done should not merit a court martial. Teal'c found himself annoyed at the argument.  
   
MajorCarter voiced Teal'c's own thoughts: "How can you make excuses for him, Daniel? He broke the law _and_ he endangered diplomatic relations with another _planet_. Then he told _you_ to shut up when you tried to call him on it, he told the general off to his face, and he told me I never even knew him!"  
   
"What? I—I didn't hear that! When? What exactly did he say?" DanielJackson looked intently at her, as if his concentration could help her recall the wording.  
   
"It was in the control room. He said—well, first _I_ said he wasn't acting like himself, and then _he_ said he was, and I'd just never seen him act like himself before." She looked frightened now. "What did he mean?"  
   
DanielJackson looked at them both. "No, I don't think he meant that."  
   
"Meant _what_?" MajorCarter was becoming exasperated, and Teal'c sympathized with her. "Come on, Daniel! You knew him before any of us."  
   
"Well, we…we went on the first Abydos mission…not too long after Charlie died. Jack was…in a bad mood."  
   
"A _bad mood_?" MajorCarter asked suspiciously.  
   
"He…didn't care," DanielJackson answered, barely audible. "He…. Look, Jack was…on a suicide mission. He was the only one who knew it was a suicide mission. You know this from the mission report, right?"  
   
Neither of them did, however; as MajorCarter said, after some hesitation, "It wasn't a suicide mission! Yes, the Colonel was sent with a bomb, but he destroyed the threat and came back."  
   
DanielJackson picked up a netsuke from his desk. He had recently taken it from O'Neill when the other man tried to play with it, but now he was doing the same thing. "He was supposed to blow up everything. He wanted _me_ to get everyone else home, if possible, first, but then he was going to let it blow, and stay there to make sure no one disarmed it. That was the original plan." He looked up, watching his words sink in.  
   
Samantha shook her head. "No. He could never have meant to do that. The _people—_ "  
   
"That's _why_ he didn't blow it all up. But I had to…. At first, he was just going to carry out his orders."  
   
"And he was going to…just stay there? With the bomb?" MajorCarter asked incredulously.  
   
DanielJackson nodded grimly.  
   
Teal'c absorbed this new information slowly. He had never thought that the man who invited him to join the Tau'ri after his rebellion, instead of staying to meet certain death, the man who met Bra'tac's defiant, "Now, we die!" with a simple, "Well, _that's_ a bad plan!" could ever have meant to allow himself to die so easily. Perhaps Teal'c had indeed mistaken O'Neill's character, on more than one count.  
   
"So he…he really is…." MajorCarter seemed to have the same difficulty accepting DanielJackson's account.  
   
"He really is a black-ops colonel," DanielJackson said, putting his arms around himself while still clutching the netsuke. He raised his eyes again. "But with enough conscience that he _could_ and _did_ change the plan, and he lied to keep West from blowing everybody else up."  
   
He flung his arms again, nearly losing the netsuke in the process. "Jack was…he was, I guess, suicidal. I think he really was going to stay with the bomb. But he couldn't do that to those people, especially the kids—and in the end, I don't think he could do it to himself. And that was years ago, and he's not suicidal _now_. He just did something really, really stupid!" He suddenly put the netsuke down on a table, apparently realizing it might not take much more handling.  
   
"You think because he lost Laira…?"  
   
"No, I don't think so! He's been happy since he got back, hasn't he?" The archaeologist appealed to them both.  
   
MajorCarter thought for a moment. "Maybe he only realized after he'd been back a little while that he really missed…her. Really missed that life that they'd started to have."  
   
"But he hasn't even mentionedher!" DanielJackson turned to Teal'c, who shook his head. "We have to talk to him." Suddenly DanielJackson was starting towards the door.  
   
"Now would not be a good time," Teal'c cautioned. Angry and frustrated though he was, he did not wish to see his friend exposed to more verbal abuse.  
   
"Teal'c's right. He's obviously…in a bad mood today." MajorCarter added, "Maybe he needs some cooling-off time?"  
   
Daniel seemed poised to argue, but MajorCarter continued, "When did you last get some decent sleep? You can't go to him yelling, you know. Maybe _you_ need some cooling-off time too."  
   
"Tomorrow," he said, looking at each of them in turn. "I'll give him the rest of today, and tomorrow morning. He can sleep in." MajorCarter snickered. "And then I'll talk to him. But I think I should go alone."  
   
"No argument here," MajorCarter muttered.  
   
They parted, with his two teammates muttering about reports they had to write. Teal'c went to the gym. A good workout, where he could put the events of the day out of his mind. Then perhaps, after kel-no-reem, he would be better prepared to grapple with them.  
   
*****  
   
The workout, however, did not really help. Teal'c pounded a bag. He did not trust himself to spar with others. Usually he could focus on his body while training and forget troublesome events, but today that proved difficult.  
   
Jack O'Neill had, in a single moment, convinced Teal'c to give up the god he had served his entire life, the position he had held for many years—and his hopes of seeing his family again. O'Neill did not always make the right choices; occasionally, he erred, as was human, as the saying had it. His mistakes usually came from concern for others, however. He did not act recklessly, as DanielJackson sometimes did. He had the caution of a seasoned warrior and the honor of the greatest of the Jaffa. He had won Master Bra'tac's respect for a reason—for several reasons, in fact.  
   
Teal'c moved to the leg press station. He set the resistance higher, sat down, and pushed away and slowly let the pedals come back towards him.  
   
Why, then, had O'Neill dishonored himself and  his people by such a rash and ultimately fruitless act? The theft did _not_ secure Earth; in fact, it robbed Earth of one of its greatest defenders. Nor had O'Neill been quick to shield his teammates from the effects of his actions, although he had ultimately accepted full responsibility and absolved them of any taint. Yet he had not volunteered that information until Hammond had begun threatening the team, though his unhappy teammates had not directly accused O'Neill.  
   
Teal'c increased the weight on the machine and resumed his rhythm.  
   
O'Neill had hardly given DanielJackson any opportunity to make his case on Tollana. The meeting had just begun when he declared his impatience and left, forcing the team to depart. He had ignored the warnings of his teammates—even belittled their cautions.  
   
O'Neill had betrayed his team, and he had betrayed his world. Teal'c could not reconcile O'Neill's actions on that day with those of the previous months and years.  
   
The rhythm broke as Teal'c slammed his legs out too hard. An odd noise came from the machine, and Teal'c realized that a pin on the exercise machine had bent. He told an airman that the equipment was damaged and went to the showers.  
   
Even in the shower, his mind was busy. After he returned to his quarters, he knew he had to put the day out of his mind to engage effectively in kel-no-reem. His symbiote was disturbed. He concentrated on clearing his mind. He felt the familiar-yet-alien presence within. It was an odd sort of comfort, to feel that he was never alone, that he was physically sustained and strengthened by an enemy. It was a parasite, but he could not live without the parasite.  
   
O'Neill? He could live without O'Neill. He had lived for many years before he met O'Neill. He might live many years more.  
   
Yet those last few years before he met O'Neill had become increasingly dark, as he raised an infant son while each day knowing the wrong he did. He knew that he killed wrongly, dishonorably at times, at his "god's" command, even as he came to know with certainty that the god was no god. He had been half waiting for an opportunity, half waiting to die and be released from the gloom of a life misspent; he might have let it happen, might have let his guard down so that he would be released, except for his family.  
   
Then a stranger in the shadows said that he had a way out. At first, Teal'c thought it was only a way out of this life. He would help the stranger, help these prisoners, and then meet his end. But then the stranger had invited Teal'c to come with him—an offer that still staggered Teal'c as he recalled it.  
   
Thus Teal'c had come out of the dungeons into a new kind of light. Even in his first few days among the humans, he felt an admiration for them that surprised him. They were physically weaker, far more subject to illness and injury, yet they seemed to have a brightness of spirit that belied their short time in the sun. Nothing seemed impossible for the Tau'ri. They even treated a former enemy—now a traitor to his former lord and supposedly to his own people—with respect.  
   
O'Neill showed him the greatest respect of all. O'Neill fought to win Teal'c's freedom from a cell, and from experiments whose magnitude the Jaffa did not understand at first. O'Neill valued his skills and his knowledge. And O'Neill allowed him to serve alongside the man he had so greatly wronged, DanielJackson, the scholar who had opened the Stargate. They trusted Teal'c to fight alongside them and next to SamanthaCarter, a woman warrior and scientist the likes of whom Teal'c had never seen.  
   
O'Neill had helped Teal'c to become what he was now: a free Jaffa, fighting for the freedom of all Jaffa. He gave Teal'c a chance to atone for the wrongs he had already spent what would have been a Tau'ri's whole lifetime doing.  
   
And now O'Neill had himself done wrong. Not the gravest of wrongs, but a wrong so petty that its smallness was offensive. He had stolen one weapon—a weapon that would have been of little use to them even if the theft had gone undetected. No one had been harmed, but no one had been helped.  
   
Teal'c had to focus again, calm his breathing, quiet his symbiote. He counted his breaths, slowing them deliberately. He felt his pulse and slowed it too. He concentrated on his body's warmth, then on the flickering light of the candles, which he could just sense through his eyelids. The exercises brought him again to a calmer state.  
   
When DanielJackson had spoken with Teal'c from his bed in the infirmary, after Teal'c had personally placed Sha're's body in the morgue, he insisted he had to forgive Teal'c. At that moment, Teal'c could not even raise his head to look in the eyes of the man he had made a widower twice over, first by stealing his beloved, and then by killing her.  
   
When Teal'c could not answer because emotion blocked his throat like a physical mass, DanielJackson had smiled, and winced, and said, "Teal'c, you may not be ready to accept it. But I have to say it. I hope you _will_ accept it. But I'm not doing this for you right now. I'm doing it for me. Because I know what…what I'll be like if I don't forgive you. I have to make you see that you did the right thing. And I'm not doing a really good job right now, but…I hope you'll understand. You did what Sha're wanted. What she needed."  
   
Teal'c did not know that day why DanielJackson said _he_ needed the forgiveness as much as Teal'c did, but as he managed to distance himself from the anger at O'Neill that had been burning inside him, he began to understand. He still felt betrayed. He had thought that O'Neill was a constant. Apophis was a false god, but O'Neill was a true warrior. Teal'c had _known_ that would never betray his people, and he would never betray the Jaffa he had, incredibly, befriended.  
   
Despite Teal'c'c certainty, O'Neill had betrayed them: himself, DanielJackson, and MajorCarter. Yet that day, even that betrayal, could not cancel out all the good O'Neill had done, for his planet, for his people, and especially for Teal'c. Teal'c would be nothing now were it not for O'Neill; O'Neill had shown him the way out of the shadow world in which he had lived, where he had served a false god for evil ends and at best did a little less harm than he was commanded.  
   
Even if O'Neill had failed, it had been the failure of a day. Perhaps O'Neill felt that he now lived in the shadows—unable to save his best friend's wife, unable to prevent Teal'c from adding one more crime to a terrible list. Perhaps O'Neill needed to leave this fight for a time. But his contributions would not be forgotten; Teal'c would see to that.  
   
Teal'c had to forgive O'Neill his shameful actions, because Teal'c had done many worse things himself. And, really, had Teal'c had better reasons? He had served Apophis first from misguided loyalty, and then out of fear for himself and his family, and habit. O'Neill was mistaken, but he had been motivated to protect the Tau'ri. That O'Neill did not seem to want forgiveness did not matter. _Teal'c_ needed to forgive.  
   
After many hours of kel-no-reem, not only the symbiote but Teal'c had found rest.  
   
*****  
   
Tealc did hope that DanielJackson would have some success with O'Neill. Perhaps he could not restore O'Neill to the team, but he could reconcile the team with each other. DanielJackson had won amazing victories in the past with both human and non-human lifeforms. He could come to terms with an aquatic creature thousands of years old, he could find the good in a woman called "Destroyer of Worlds"; surely he could reach some understanding with O'Neill.  
   
By late afternoon, Teal'c had become convinced that the archaeologist must be having a very long conversation with their former team leader. That could only bode well. He was then shocked to find DanielJackson leaving the gym as he entered. It was not a place the young man visited often of his own accord, but he looked tired and had too much color in his cheeks; he had been at the gym for a long time.  
   
Teal'c greeted him, and the man's eyes immediately shifted to a spot on the wall behind Teal'c. "You were to inform MajorCarter and myself of your progress with O'Neill."  
   
"Yeah." DanielJackson perspired freely and was a little short of breath. "Well, I would have, if there'd been any progress." He stepped to the side to go around Teal'c.  
   
Teal'c stepped back in front of him. "You spoke with O'Neill?"  
   
"Yeah. Didn't say much—either of us, really."  
   
"What did O'Neill say?"  
   
"The same crap he said yesterday. Look, I really need to shower." DanielJackson sidestepped again.  
   
Teal'c blocked him again, though DanielJackson's need to bathe was indeed clear. "Have you informed MajorCarter?"  
   
"There's nothing to tell." DanielJackson took several steps around Teal'c and walked rapidly from the room.  
   
Teal'c allowed him to pass but followed. "You demanded to know O'Neill's exact words yesterday," he asked, even as he knew DanielJackson did not give up information he did not wish to share.  
   
"Well, that seems to be a mistake," DanielJackson said over his shoulder without turning.  
   
"Why?" Teal'c was at his shoulder now.  
   
"Why? Damned if I know!"  
   
Was DanielJackson dodging his questions—or simply not paying enough attention to them to answer them appropriately? "Perhaps I should speak with O'Neill," Teal'c suggested.  
   
Those words did get the other man's attention. DanielJackson stopped, staring at Teal'c. He pulled off his glasses and wiped a sweaty arm across on equally sweaty face. "I don't think that's a good idea." He finally focused on Teal'c's face as he put the glasses back on.  
   
"Why?"  
   
"Jack's…pissed at everybody. Or maybe just at me. I don't know. But—no offense, Teal'c—he's not going to say anything."  
   
"Perhaps to a fellow warrior…." DanielJackson winced and looked away, and Teal'c knew that he had carelessly added to his friend's wounds. He preferred not to think of the younger man as a warrior, and he knew that Daniel himself preferred not to be one, but the suggestion that O'Neill and Teal'c could understand each other better had stung.  
   
DanielJackson did not seem angry at Teal'c, but he resumed walking. After a moment, he turned slightly to say, "You can try…but, really, Teal'c." He stopped again. "Don't. I wish I hadn't. I wish…. You know, I always think I'd rather know the truth, but sometimes I'm wrong." He walked the last few steps into the locker room.  
   
Teal'c did not follow, for he did not know what to say.  
   
Instead, he waited outside the locker room; he would not allow DanielJackson to escape the explanation he owed both his teammates. In a few minutes, DanielJackson emerged in his BDUs. He seemed to be trying for a rueful smile when he saw Teal'c, but it simply looked like a grimace.  
   
"Making sure I tell Sam the news? Or lack of it?" He began walking again.  
   
Teal'c stayed by his side. "You must speak with her."  
   
"She knows I'd tell her if anything important happened."  
   
"DanielJackson, I believed that since I had not heard from you, you were having a long and productive conversation with O'Neill."  
   
DanielJackson stopped walking with a sudden look of guilt. His lips parted and closed again before he finally said, "You're right, Teal'c. I'm sorry. I didn't think of that."  
   
Teal'c nodded. "You will speak with MajorCarter."  
   
DanielJackson nodded, and the two of them went to the elevators. The archaeologist pulled out his security card to swipe the elevator card reader, then ran his fingernails along the edge of it. "I…how do I tell Sam there's no news?"  
   
DanielJackson did not really expect an answer from him, and Teal'c was glad of it.  
   
DanielJackson pocketed the card and preceded Teal'c into the elevator but did not push the button for MajorCarter's floor; the Jaffa did that himself. The archaeologist leaned against the elevator wall and did not look as if he had "slept in." Perhaps MajorCarter would be more effective at eliciting an account of the meeting. DanielJackson noticed Teal'c's gaze and shrugged, but he said nothing, and soon they were out of the elevator and walking towards MajorCarter's lab. They heard a low curse as they approached.  
   
"Sam?" DanielJackson called out from just outside the door, looking as if he wanted an excuse to leave. "You busy?"  
   
"No!" She hastily shoved papers aside as the two men walked in. "Please, I need a break! How did it go?" She smiled at DanielJackson.  
   
"Uh, it didn't, really," DanielJackson replied, looking around SamanthaCarter's workspace rather than at her, no doubt so that he could not see how quickly the smile left her face. "I, um…Teal'c pointed out that you might think I'd been talking to Jack all this time, but…he really didn't want to talk to me. So I've been back on base…a while now."  
   
"What did he say?"  
   
"Not much."  
   
Samantha looked at Teal'c, frowning. DanielJackson seemed to be regarding an African violet on her bench.  
   
"Well, what exactly?"  
   
DanielJackson did not answer immediately.  
   
"What the hell did he say to you?" MajorCarter demanded, slipping off her stool to stand directly in front of DanielJackson.  
   
The younger man stood there, lips slightly parted. He glanced at Teal'c, who looked back as sternly as he could. O'Neill was not forthcoming; the three of them must be honest with each other.  
   
"He said," DanielJackson said, licking his lips nervously, "that…he said we need to protect ourselves, and the Pentagon doesn't really care. That we need the weapons."  
   
DanielJackson licked his lips again without continuing even as his teammates stared.  
   
Finally MajorCarter asked, "Did he say anything about this backup he talked about?"  
   
 "Yeah, yeah. He said that he and Hammond were going to set up an offworld—a secondary SGC. And he would have been in charge there."  
   
MajorCarter's eyes widened. "He wanted to command a _base_?"  
   
"Yeah, that's what he said. But…really, it seemed more an excuse than anything else." DanielJackson seemed more comfortable now. "He said the Pentagon canceling the plan was just a symptom, that they really…you know, he didn't make a whole lot of sense."  
   
"And that's why you didn't come talk to me." Her sarcasm was evident.  
   
"Fine." DanielJackson said. "He said I never understood him." His voice was flat. He looked away again.  
   
"What?" MajorCarter's voice hit an unusually high note. "You never…. He said what?"  
   
Teal'c felt yesterday's fury rising in him again and made an effort not to show it; his friends should not be burdened by his anger. They were sufficiently encumbered already.  
   
"You talked him into attacking Apophis when all you had was a dialing sequence from an alternate universe!" MajorCarter continued.  
   
"Well," DanielJackson said, walking past her to sit on a stool next to the one she had been using, "I guess that…I don't think that's relevant."  
   
"But that's just one example. You're the one he really talks to! Right, Teal'c?" MajorCarter appealed to him suddenly.  
   
Teal'c nodded, but DanielJackson was not looking at either of them.  
   
MajorCarter did not pause long enough for Teal'c to say anything. "I mean, you're the one whose office he's always going to. He told you about Charlie long before we ever knew…."  
   
"Well, I…he told me about Charlie when he thought he was gonna blow himself up with the bomb. He didn't expect to live then. And now? Sure, he comes to my office all the time—came, _came_ to my office—but it's not like he talked about anything _important._ "  
   
MajorCarter gave Teal'c a worried look. How did one answer that? O'Neill often spoke of trivia, made jokes; that did not mean the conversations did not matter. But DanielJackson already knew that as well as any of them.  
   
MajorCarter sat back down on her stool and took a deep breath. "What about alien influence? Any signs?"  
   
DanielJackson shook his head. "Not unless you consider rudeness a sign. And for Jack O'Neill, rudeness is _not_ a sign of alien influence. The lack of it might be." He looked at the papers on the worktable.  
   
"So what do we _do_?" MajorCarter asked, looking closely at DanielJackson's face.  
   
"Do? We don't _do_ anything," DanielJackson responded, bringing his eyes back to hers before he turned to Teal'c. "He doesn't want to talk. And he doesn't want to _listen_." He began to fidget with the bent corner of the top page, trying to straighten it out.  
   
"So we give up?" Anger made MajorCarter louder than usual.  
   
DanielJackson shrugged again and asked Teal'c, "Unless you have any ideas?"  
   
Teal'c had an idea of what he would like to do with O'Neill at the moment, but DanielJackson and MajorCarter did not need to hear it, so Teal'c shook his head. DanielJackson returned to attempting to smooth the corner of the paper. It would never be perfectly flat again, but he seemed to be trying to achieve that.  
   
Teal'c felt for a moment as though everything they undertook was like that corner DanielJackson sought to flatten. Then the feeling passed.  
   
MajorCarter tried once more. "Maybe more…cooling-off time?"  
   
"Oh, he seemed plenty cool." The corner stuck to DanielJackson's fingers, and the top page bent even more. He slapped it back down and planted his forearm on it.  
   
Teal'c did not know what to say. DanielJackson had obviously been wounded by O'Neill's words, though Teal'c was not exactly certain how.  
   
MajorCarter hesitated. Finally, she said, "I guess if he's not talking to _you_ , my going over there won't help. I'd rather not get back in that line of fire, anyway." She shook herself slightly.  
   
Then, of course, they both looked at Teal'c. For a moment Teal'c thought DanielJackson might retract his earlier words and suggest that he visit O'Neill, but instead, he said, "I didn't mean to drag you away from your workout, Teal'c."  
   
Then he asked what MajorCarter was doing, and she gave Teal'c a glance to let him know that she wasn't fooled either, but she began explaining what the problem she'd encountered with her naquada reactor. Teal'c nodded to them and left.  
   
It must be that O'Neill sought to alleviate his own feelings of guilt by projecting failure onto his teammate instead of himself. Teal'c could not condone this behavior, but he could perhaps understand it; he had seen it many times before, in other men. He had thought O'Neill above such conduct, however.  
   
Apparently the work of forgiving was not so easy. He had hoped that once done, it would not need to be repeated, but he was angry again. This time, however, he would try not to damage any of the base's exercise equipment.  
   
*****  
   
The next morning, Teal'c entered the briefing room to find MajorCarter and DanielJackson already waiting.  
   
"For what purpose were we summoned?" he asked, half afraid to hear the answer.  
   
"My guess is we're getting our fourth," DanielJackson told him. He told Sam, "we'll probably get someone like Ferretti, and you'll get command."  
   
Teal'c could work with MajorFerretti; the man was trustworthy. He had a sense of humor not unlike O'Neill's; Teal'c was not certain whether that was good or bad.  
   
"Oh, I don't know about that. They'll probably go with someone higher than major," SamanthaCarter answered.  
   
Yet MajorCarter had more experience than anyone but O'Neill and DanielJackson. MajorFerretti had been on the first Abydos mission, but he had needed months to recover from injuries suffered during his second mission there.  
   
Their musings were ended by the appearance of GeneralHammond with Colonel Makepeace. Teal'c did not know Makepeace well, but he did not care for the man. His first experience with Makepeace had been in their encounter with the Touched virus; the man had performed his duties competently. Teal'c been less impressed by his "rescue" of the rest of SG-1 when Hathor held them; O'Neill had told him later how he found DanielJackson, Makepeace, and the men Makepeace commanded on their knees at gunpoint before Hathor's minion.  
   
Teal'c also knew that Colonel Makepeace had prevented an already-injured DanielJackson from trying to save a downed man, and he was grateful that Makepeace had kept his teammate alive; he knew that was not always an easy task. It seemed, however, that Makepeace had done little else on that mission. Teal'c and GeneralHammond had done far more to complete that rescue than Makepeace and the four teams he led.  
   
"As you were," GeneralHammond told them, though only MajorCarter had straightened at his appearance. "Since SG-1 is considered the flagship unit, it falls on me to assure that you have the strongest possible leadership. Therefore I'm reassigning the most senior officer we have in the field as your new commanding officer. Colonel Makepeace will be joining SG-1 immediately. I hope you'll make him feel welcome."  
   
Welcome? Teal'c was very glad to be an alien now. He was not expected to fit human customs of politeness.  
   
"Sir, uh, I don't want to seem out of line here," DanielJackson began, "but, uh, since I'm a civilian here and the only one who can say this…."  
   
Teal'c added a mental reservation that _he_ could speak his mind. Yet DanielJackson did so with greater success.  
   
"Spit it out, Doctor," the general said.  
   
"Well, no offense," he waved a hand at Makepeace, "but doesn't Major Carter deserve to take charge of SG-1?"  
   
Teal'c smiled inside. MajorCarter was perhaps young to lead, but then humans were shorter-lived. She had excellent skills in several areas, valuable experience, and she worked well with the team.  
   
"Major Carter has an exemplary record on the team, as recognized by her _recent_ promotion to major. But major is a far cry from colonel." GeneralHammond spoke gently but firmly.  
   
"I understand, General," MajorCarter said immediately. She seemed a little embarrassed.  
   
"I'm sorry, I don't. What difference does it make what title she has? The point is that the…."  
   
She cut him off. "It's all right, Daniel. Really." Her voice was almost devoid of any disappointment.  
   
Teal'c could see the logic. Colonel Makepeace had more years of experience than MajorCarter, and more experience commanding other people. Teal'c had never heard anyone speak particularly badly of the man, but he had never heard anyone speak particularly well of him, either.  
   
"Dismissed."  
   
"I'm proud to join you folks," Makepeace said, though his face showed no pride or pleasure. "I hope you can learn to trust my command as much as you did Colonel O'Neill's."  
   
An odd remark given the reason for Colonel O'Neill's sudden departure.  
   
MajorCarter gave the answer her military training demanded: "I'm sure we will, sir."  
   
DanielJackson gave an unexpected response: "I never really trusted Jack's command, but, uh, I'm open."  
   
"That's good." Makepeace managed a small smile." Then I'll see you at our first briefing."  
   
That was all? He had nothing more to say or to ask? Teal'c was not certain what Makepeace _should_ have said or asked, but his few words seemed inadequate to the occasion.  
   
O'Neill would never have let DanielJackson's remark stand. He might have made a joke. He might have asked a pointed question. DanielJackson had responded from hurt and distrust, and Makepeace would do well to probe the injury, even if he could not address it immediately. O'Neill might also have made some remark about MajorCarter's position—some acknowledgement of her experience and expertise, which Makepeace would need.  
   
Makepeace did not truly know those who now made up _his_ team, but he apparently he thought he did. He saw no need to talk to them before the briefing—no need to answer DanielJackson's spoken concerns and implied challenge, no need to learn what work currently engaged them on base, no need to know anything besides their next assignment.  
   
Teal'c had no need for Makepeace.  
   
*****  
   
MajorCarter, DanielJackson, and Teal'c did not contact each other to meet for lunch; they simply all went to the commissary at 13:30, after most of the "lunch rush" had departed. They could often find each other there at that time, if not in one office or lab.  
   
"So, are you ready to work with Colonel Makepeace?" MajorCarter asked with attempted cheer as she started into a pile of salad the size of her office computer.  
   
"I think he has no imagination, no sense of humor, and no…." DanielJackson trailed off as MajorCarter grinned at him.  
   
"Open mind?"  
   
"I'm working on it." He picked at a sandwich, pulling the crusts off. For some, such actions prepared the sandwich for eating, but for DanielJackson, they constituted avoidance of eating.  
   
Teal'c had a wide assortment of foods; eating a variety was the healthiest approach. He could not understand his friends' limited diets, but he knew that would do no good to tell DanielJackson to find other food. He dug into his jambalaya.  
   
"So how's the naquada reactor coming?" the archaeologist asked disingenuously.  
   
MajorCarter snickered at the obvious change in topic. "It's…well, I'd like to say it's coming, but I haven't gotten very far today."  
   
"I haven't gotten much translation done, either."  
   
They both looked at Teal'c. He wondered if they knew how predictable they were. "I taught SG-5 a 'refresher course' on hand-to-hand combat skills."  
   
"Well, I'm glad _someone_ had a productive morning," DanielJackson said, sliding a bit of cheese out of the sandwich and finally eating that.  
   
Teal'c did not participate much in the ensuing conversation. MajorCarter asked about DanielJackson's translation, but she was not truly interested in it. DanielJackson asked another question about her work, which elicited an answer he surely did not understand. Neither of them cared about the specific responses, and each of them knew it.  
   
Teal'c had come to understand, however, that such exchanges were socially acceptable ways of learning how the other person felt, even of sharing anxieties without betraying weakness openly. He could see the value in such conversations. O'Neill had once as well, particularly in holding such dialogues with DanielJackson. Teal'c did not understand his change in attitude.  
   
Teal'c did not wish to share his feelings with his teammates at this time. MajorCarter would have to work with Makepeace, and she would have to bury any resentments she still held over O'Neill's departure. He would not hinder her efforts, which appeared to be going better than his own.  
   
*****  
   
That afternoon, Teal'c paid a visit to MajorCarter in her lab. He remained resolved not to burden her, but DanielJackson often assured them that talking helped. He was uncertain exactly _what_ it helped, but his efforts to forgive had proven more difficult than he thought. He had heard the saying "To err is human; to forgive, divine." He now doubted the existence of any gods, yet describing forgiveness as "divine" seemed somehow appropriate; it was certainly not a Jaffa virtue.  
   
Perhaps it would help to speak to SamanthaCarter; DanielJackson had been hard at work and had not even noticed Teal'c lingering in his doorway, so Teal'c had left him to his translations.  
   
Her work seemed to be progressing; he did not hear cursing this time. Yet her eyes were shadowed as she turned at his greeting, and he knew her heart must be full.  
   
"Teal'c? What brings you here?" She slipped off the stool to stand in front of him.  
   
"I wished to know, as DanielJackson might say, how you felt about things."  
   
She smiled. "Daniel Jackson _did_ say something much like that, actually."  
   
"And you said?"  
   
"What I said before. Colonel Makepeace is an experienced officer. I respect him, and I hope both of you will too. I appreciate that Daniel thinks I should be in charge, but honestly, Teal'c, _I_ don't think I'm ready for that."  
   
"You are more ready than you realize." At her smile, Teal'c added, "You know I do not flatter," and the smile grew.  
   
Samantha resumed her perch on the stool, leaning her back against her worktable.  
   
"I find myself… still disturbed by O'Neill's departure," Teal'c continued after a moment.  
   
"So do I, Teal'c," she said, moving from side to side a little on the stool. "But I think Daniel's right; there's nothing more to say."  
   
Teal'c cocked his head a little. "Did you not find that an odd statement from DanielJackson?"  
   
She laughed. "Actually, I found it especially convincing, coming from Daniel."  
   
"O'Neill hurt DanielJackson," Teal'c said simply.  
   
MajorCarter looked at her fingernails. "Yeah. And I don't know _why_ he had to go and do that; hadn't he done enough?" She swung a little more to face the table. "But he did it, and it's done, and Daniel just wants to put it behind him," she said, turning her head towards Teal'c. "He was worried about me, I think."  
   
Teal'c nodded.  
   
She turned towards her computer screen, then turned back. "What do _you_ think? Daniel and I have spent _hours_ talking about it, but we get nowhere—as you've seen."  
   
"O'Neill erred. I think…I do not understand what motivated O'Neill. I have meditated on it. I can only assume that GeneralHammond is correct: it was the final straw. And that you and DanielJackson are correct: returning to a frustrating mission after so many weeks of waiting for rescue…."  
   
Samantha nodded. "Daniel said that maybe he'd romanticized what we'd done, while he waited for us, and then we _did_ get through and bring him back. And his first mission since, the Tollans allow us to speak, only to tell us we _can't_ have anything, he gets frustrated…. It makes sense."  
   
"You do not sound convinced," Teal'c observed.  
   
"Well, I'm not the best with people," she admitted, looking at her fingernails again. Some of them were chipped, as usual. "Daniel's much better—though between you and me," she added in a lower tone, with a little smile, "I'm amazed he gets anywhere as a diplomat—you know what I mean."  
   
Teal'c nodded, although he was not certain which particular aspect of their friend's personality she had in mind: his eagerness, his frequent bluntness, his occasional "tunnel vision," or his sometimes ill-considered words. He knew her overall meaning, though: DanielJackson had extraordinary talents for both inspiring friendship and infuriating his friends.  
   
"But there's no denying that Daniel _gets_ the Colonel better than I do, maybe even better than you do."  
   
"Of that I am certain."  
   
"And if Daniel can't get through…."  
   
Teal'c smiled a little. "If DanielJackson does not succeed, he tries again."  
   
That won him a full-blown grin. "I know," Samantha said. "I'm kind of counting on it, actually. But don't tell him."  
   
Teal'c bowed a little. "It will be our secret," he promised.  
   
He left happier than he had come, and he felt certain that MajorCarter had also been cheered. Neither of them expected DanielJackson to talk with O'Neill again any time soon, but after a few weeks, with O'Neill given some time to miss the team, and DanielJackson given the opportunity to put his last visit with O'Neill in perspective, he felt certain their next conversation would be very different.  
   
*****  
   
GeneralHammond did not allow much time to pass before calling SG-1 to a briefing.  
   
Teal'c was interested to note when he entered that Makepeace had chosen the seat at GeneralHammond's right hand, as O'Neill often did. DanielJackson headed straight for the opposite seat, and MajorCarter followed him, sitting at DanielJackson's left. Teal'c sat next to Makepeace, who looked surprised for a moment, then turned slightly away from him to face the general better.  
   
GeneralHammond began, "In consultation with Colonel Makepeace, I have decided to make P2R-127 the site of SG-1's next mission. It will be a simple reconnaissance mission: survey the planet, take samples, decide if there's anything worth a longer look."  
   
All the team members glanced through their folders. DanielJackson was frowning. Teal'c was not surprised at his teammate's reaction; there seemed to be little evidence of habitation. Surely it was best, however, for the new team's mission to be to an uninhabited planet?  
   
"But sir," MajorCarter said hesitantly, "these data are all _new_. I mean, I haven't even seen these reports; it looks like just a basic UAV overflight was done?"  
   
"That's correct, Major."  
   
"Well, it's just …" she shifted nervously. "Usually, I get to look over the data before we even choose a planet."  
   
"It's my idea," volunteered Makepeace. "It's a shakedown mission. You can do more of your scientific stuff on the planet."  
   
Teal'c's chosen seat left him in an excellent position to watch both his teammates wrinkle their noses at the same time. He remained impassive: Makepeace's ignorance undermined his condescension.  
   
"So this was chosen with an eye to Sam's expertise," DanielJackson stated flatly.  
   
Both Hammond and Makepeace nodded.  
   
"No offense, Sam," DanielJackson said to her before turning back to the others, "but why are we doing a 'shakedown mission' that only calls upon one team member's abilities?"  
   
"Well, Doctor Jackson," Makepeace said, "I understand your skills are good for more than just first-contact situations."  
   
DanielJackson's eyes narrowed further.  
   
"Here's a chance to use some of your digging abilities."  
   
"''Digging abilities'?" DanielJackson echoed. "Anybody can dig, _Colonel_ Makepeace. Teal'c can dig, you can dig, any of your grunts can dig. I _excavate_ ; it's not—  
   
Makepeace interrupted before DanielJackson could explain his work. "And we haven't _ruled out_ habitation…."  
   
GeneralHammond opened his mouth for a moment but apparently decided to say nothing as DanielJackson flipped pointedly through the file, which took but a moment; it only held a few pages. No data indicated habitation.  
   
"You can assist MajorCarter; Teal'c can help me secure the perimeter. We get to know each other, get used to each other's work habits; it's good team building."  
   
"We know each other's work habits," DanielJackson said; MajorCarter winced slightly, probably not enough for Makepeace to notice.  
   
"Fine," Makepeace responded; "it's a chance to get to know my habits."  
   
Teal'c felt he had sufficient knowledge of Makepeace, but to say so would help no one. He must bide his time.  
   
"And if there _might_ be habitation, are you really prepared—"  
   
"The target and objective are not up for discussion, Doctor Jackson," GeneralHammond said, his tone authoritative but not unkind. "I know it's not exciting. It's not supposed to be. The next one may well be. And, well, somehow SG-1's missions often turn out to be more of an adventure than we planned."  
   
GeneralHammond smiled. DanielJackson did not. Neither, significantly, did MajorCarter—although she did not look _un_ happy, as the archaeologist did.  
   
"Teal'c?" asked GeneralHammond. "Any questions?"  
   
GeneralHammond must be concerned about the team to ask that; he was usually content with Teal'c's silence, relying on Teal'c knowing when he should speak up.  
   
Teal'c shook his head. He looked at Makepeace. Makepeace looked back.  
   
*****  
   
MajorCarter drew aside DanielJackson and Teal'c before their departure in an effort to ensure their cooperation. Teal'c had to admit that his agreement to cooperate with Makepeace was worth no more than DanielJackson's, so they likely deserved the glare that the major had given them at their facile assurances. He should not have nodded when she asked them to "play nice." He had no wish to make MajorCarter's position on the team difficult, but he would not pretend he believed Makepeace fit to lead them. He thought O'Neill had been right on that early mission to the dark side of P3X-797: he kept Makepeace to the rear.  
   
DanielJackson grumbled periodically that there was nothing of interest as they walked through the grasses and small shrubs on the unwelcoming planet. That was to be expected; indeed, Teal'c might have expected more complaints. Makepeace took point at first, with Teal'c in the rear and the two scientists all too obviously in protective positions. DanielJackson's grumblings were interspersed with comments on the heath, to which MajorCarter replied. Teal'c remained silent.  
   
Makepeace sometimes answered the archaeologist with "Jackson, knock it off," but he had nothing to add to observations about the climate or the flora.  
   
It would have been better had DanielJackson continued not to notice their positions, but when Makepeace announced that he would take the rear and Teal'c would take point, and then switched _again_ after the two scientists finished taking samples at a stream, even a distracted DanielJackson noticed.  
   
"Why isn't Sam taking point now?"  
   
"Because she's a scientist," Makepeace answered.  
   
Teal'c could see MajorCarter stiffen. He was not sure how angry she was at DanielJackson and how angry at Makepeace. But her jaw tightened, and she said not a word.  
   
"She often takes point!"  
   
Teal'c added his support. "MajorCarter is a fine warrior." He added a significant look and hoped Makepeace understood that Teal'c did not regard their new colonel so highly.  
   
"Look, I'm not saying she's not a soldier; _she_ is," Makepeace declared pointedly to DanielJackson. "I'm saying that her job here is to take samples, your job is to help her, and our jobs are to protect the team."  
   
"From chipmunks?" DanielJackson asked, pointing to a small rodent in the long grasses.  
   
"I'm not sure that's a chipmunk, actually, Daniel," MajorCarter said.  
   
"And I'm your assistant?"  
   
DanielJackson did sometimes whine. It was not one of his better qualities, as O'Neill had observed on many occasions.  
   
"I assist you sometimes; does that make me just your assistant?" MajorCarter shot back.  
   
Teal'c frowned. Sniping at Makepeace was one thing; sniping at each other was another. Especially with a leader as yet largely untried with this team—the debacle that was Makepeace's "rescue" from Hathor loomed larger in Teal'c's mind than anything else.  
   
Yet MajorCarter seemed determined to divert DanielJackson from remarks aimed at Makepeace, and he was easily irritated today. The weather was cool and damp, the wind was chilly, and the sky was overcast. Though Teal'c had known far worse conditions, he was becoming annoyed as well.  
   
To his dismay, after a while he found it easier to be annoyed at his two teammates than at the man who had brought them all. Makepeace simply led them in what O'Neill would doubtless term "smug superiority."  
   
Teal'c took a few steps closer to his friends when Makepeace got a little farther ahead and spoke quickly but quietly. "Do not dishonor yourselves in front of _Colonel_ Makepeace." He allowed himself to fall a few more paces back. Makepeace had not even turned.  
   
Both the scientists did. MajorCarter frowned at him, obviously catching his sarcasm. But DanielJackson offered him a little smile and ceased his complaints for a time.  
   
They covered a wider area than was scientifically necessary, as MajorCarter mentioned at one point in a low tone, but they gathered a number of samples: water, several plants, a few different rocks. MajorCarter found at best minute traces of naquada, however, and nothing else of use.  
   
They were making a wide circle back to cover an area they hadn't walked through when DanielJackson found three stones piled on top of each other. He remarked on it. A little later, he found two. And that was when the tempest broke.  
   
The sky remained merely threatening, but the verbal storm was bad enough that Teal'c wished it would rain. A good cloudburst might have prevented what followed.  
   
DanielJackson maintained that the rocks must have been piled by intelligent creatures and sought time for a wider search.  
   
"The UAV didn't pick up anything," Makepeace noted.  
   
"Including the two piles we've already found!" DanielJackson insisted. "UAVs miss lots of things, as Sam will tell you!" He did not, however, give her the opportunity. "Look, this is our second stone structure; I think we're looking at a taula, actually."  
   
Makepeace snorted and gave an amused look to his second. MajorCarter got the look on her face that O'Neill called "deer in the headlights."  
   
"A taula," DanielJackson explained quite slowly, "is a structure made of a vertical standing stone with a horizontal stone on top of it. We could be looking at a megalithic culture of some kind." He turned confidently to face MajorCarter and said at the same volume, directly before Makepeace: "Tell him we've got signs of civilization and need to check them out! You're military; maybe he'll listen to you!"  
   
Teal'c recalled MajorCarter's comments a few days before about DanielJackson's surprising skills as a diplomat. He could negotiate with alien cultures and hostile peoples. Why did he not employ these skills with his own team?  
   
Makepeace was grinning now, but DanielJackson did not yet notice. MajorCarter's eyes remained very large and round, but her mouth remained closed.  
   
"But, Daniel," she finally said, "I'm not sure these _are_ signs of civilization!"  
   
" _What_?"  
   
Makepeace chuckled.  
   
"We're in a flood plain; I know it looks deliberate, but sometimes—"  
   
" _Two_ separate piles of stones? Look at how—"  
   
"Jackson! Listen to the lady?"  
   
DanielJackson was too incensed to hear MajorCarter's almost inaudible " _Lady_?" and began arguing with Makepeace.  
   
Teal'c moved out and began walking a large circle around the other three.  
   
"Now what's _he_ doing?" Makepeace yelled in annoyance.  
   
Teal'c looked at him, but Makepeace had not asked the question of him, so he faced front again and simply continued to walk.  
   
"Teal'c?" MajorCarter pleaded.  
   
"I am walking the perimeter so that nothing can surprise us while you and DanielJackson…debate this matter."  
   
"We could be assaulted by chipmunks!" DanielJackson exclaimed. "Sorry, Teal'c," he added before renewing his verbal assault on Makepeace.  
   
DanielJackson's offensive bore an unfortunate resemblance to a chipmunk attack, though Teal'c would have died before admitting the thought. Makepeace simply stopped listening. He announced that the site had no military value and that he was taking point, and he ordered MajorCarter to move out. DanielJackson stood still, obviously stunned.  
   
Teal'c nodded sympathetically and gestured for DanielJackson to precede him. The other man returned the nod and, head lowered, went after MajorCarter.  
   
Half an hour later, the silence began to wear even on Teal'c. The weather had become still chillier; the main question was whether the threatened precipitation would be rain or sleet. The sight of the Gate in the distance was welcome. Makepeace moved further ahead, and Teal'c came closer in back.  
   
DanielJackson took advantage of Makepeace's distance to say, "I hoped you would back me up" in a carefully casual tone.  
   
"I told the truth, Daniel," MajorCarter replied tiredly. "Those stones were as likely to be alluvial deposits as human artefacts."  
   
"They were _balanced_ on each other!"  
   
"They were in a flood plain. Those kinds of piles do occur in nature, with no human intervention."  
   
"If it was a flood plain, why were the rocks in the higher meadow and not at the bottom of the slope?"  
   
She slowed her walk to regard her teammate. "They may have been washed out of the lower plain and onto the higher, where they were deposited." Teal'c could hear a slight strain in her voice.  
   
"It was worth checking, at least! And we didn't see _any_ rocks that looked like that around them! Not lying down, not standing up, not anywhere! We should have looked more! And if we found more, in no pattern, I'd admit…I was wrong," he added in what was apparently meant to be a generous concession.  
   
MajorCarter shook her head. "If we had nothing else to do, sure! But we have other priorities, Daniel. Looking for signs of human habitation here is not…." She seemed to be fumbling for words.  
   
"Not part of our _mission_?"  
   
"Not _this_ mission, no! Look, we can send another UAV, see if we see anything. But we've only got five hours for this, and I'd like to get back to my naquada reactor; that could allow us to go through gates that don't have a working DHD! That's important!"  
   
"And possible human habitation is not?"  
   
"Daniel, if there _was_ habitation—and _I_ haven't seen evidence—but if there was, it looks like it was a long time ago, at a very primitive level. If we find more evidence, we'll be back. In the meantime, we don't have to stay out in the wind and gloom here satisfying your curiosity."  
   
And then, somewhat to Teal'c's surprise, DanielJackson did not continue the back-and-forth but cut to the heart of the matter: "I'd have backed you up, you know." If only he had kept the bitterness out of his voice….  
   
But MajorCarter's bent shoulders betrayed how tired she was of this landscape and this conversation. "Daniel, it's not _us_ against Colonel Makepeace; we're on the same side!"  
   
"Makepeace doesn't listen to me." He sighed loudly. "He's already told me that he doesn't believe civilians belong on front-line teams."  
   
"When?"  
   
DanielJackson didn't answer. A cold drizzle began to fall.  
   
"That was months ago, Daniel, right? Look, he may have changed his mind. He _is_ being pretty damned patient, considering." MajorCarter waited a moment, but DanielJackson continued to look straight head.  
   
"Maybe if you listened to _him_ …! Without all the impatience and eyerolling," MajorCarter added.  
   
DanielJackson flung his arms out in a gesture of frustration. Teal'c could not see their faces and was not sure whether he wished he could. He did know, however, that if they did not pick up their pace soon, Makepeace would drop back and put an end to this conversation. "I thought _you—_ "  
   
"Don't start with me," MajorCarter cut him off. "You know what, Daniel? I don't want to be pulled into your childish games, so don't ask me to back up a request for more time when you know I don't see anything worth studying."  
   
DanielJackson stopped walking. "Childish?" he repeated in disbelief.  
   
MajorCarter stopped. "Yes, childish! You're annoyed that Colonel O'Neill left, so you're baiting his…replacement. You said you had an open mind, but you've never given him a chance! What is your problem, anyway?"  
   
This conversation could not end well. "Continue walking," he said with a nod towards Makepeace.  
   
MajorCarter gave Makepeace's back a quick assessing look that he did not think she would have given O'Neill; Teal'c was glad to see it.  
   
"My problem?" DanielJackson started as they both resumed their earlier pace. "I guess my problem is that when he came to _rescue_ us from Hathor, he left Jack to become a host! And now he's in charge of SG-1?"  
   
At least they were keeping their voices low, and they continued to walk. If Makepeace had excellent hearing…. But his only glance back so far had shown no sign that he heard or cared about their conversation.  
   
"He's a commander; sometimes you have to leave people behind!" MajorCarter insisted in a whisper. "The Colonel left you on Apophis's ship!"  
   
"I was dying," Daniel hissed, "and he had to save Earth. Makepeace—"  
   
" _Colonel_ Makepeace had to save _us_ and those under his command."  
   
Makepeace chose that moment to turn.  
   
"ColonelMakepeace is watching," Teal'c noted in a voice gauged carefully to carry to the scientists but not their supposed leader.  
   
The two increased their pace, and Makepeace turned back.  
   
"He wouldn't go back! He was willing to let Hathor make Jack a host!" DanielJackson repeated in a harsh whisper, looking at MajorCarter.  
   
"Oh, and you made every effort to stop her." MajorCarter also kept her voice low, but she turned half sideways, looking at DanielJackson with a distinctly hostile demeanor. Angering MajorCarter was dangerous, as DanielJackson should know. Teal'c was greatly disturbed to see his friends arguing so seriously. MajorCarter bit her lip. "Let it _go_ , Daniel," she then said more mildly. "He's in charge now; we have to live with it."  
   
Makepeace turned again. "Pick it up!" he called back.  
   
DanielJackson kept his eyes on MajorCarter and stumbled over some brambles but remained on his feet. "I…I couldn't do anything! You remember! Makepeace would have let Jack…." He did not complete the thought, but he did not need to do so. They all knew what he meant. He bent towards her, walking half sideways despite his near fall, pleading with her. "And you're siding with _him_?" he spat.  
   
The look on MajorCarter's face would have been enough to make Teal'c pause to consider. Unfortunately, DanielJackson had become so involved in what he was saying that he was not watching his companion closely or, as sometimes happened could not stop himself from speaking.  
   
"You weren't so brave when Hathor was choosing which of us would be a host," MajorCarter said in a tense whisper; Teal'c could barely hear her himself. "And somehow you managed to obey Colonel Makepeace's orders when he told us to leave _that_ time."  
   
Teal'c had not seen that lost look on DanielJackson's face in quite some time. They had already lost O'Neill. He could not allow SG-1 to destroy itself.  
   
"Your anger is misdirected," he said sternly but quietly. He could not suggest Makepeace as an outlet; the man had turned again and was now approaching, and MajorCarter would certainly not appreciate the suggestion. When the two scientists looked at him, he tilted his head to indicate Makepeace.  
   
DanielJackson faced forwards and began a fast march; in a few steps he was passing Makepeace. MajorCarter, however, was slower to move.  
   
Unbelievably, Makepeace continued back and asked, "Is there a problem, _Major_?"  
   
Teal'c looked at the man. Could he really have failed to notice what had just happened? He should not have heard enough of their conversation to know what was said, but he should surely have seen the look on DanielJackson's face. Was this some subtle strategy to align DanielJackson to him? Or had DanielJackson managed to compose himself again in those few steps? Even so….  
   
"No, sir!" MajorCarter replied, blinking rapidly. Her eyes were still wide open with shock at her own words—and, no doubt, the hurt evident on DanielJackson's face.  
   
Makepeace nodded and turned back. "Jackson, get back here!" he shouted. "You _do_ know what ' _I_ have point' means, right?"  
   
DanielJackson stopped at once and looked back, his face not betraying anything. He waited for Makepeace to pass him and then resumed walking three steps behind, still ahead of his two teammates.  
   
"What the hell was that?" MajorCarter whispered to Teal'c. Her eyes were still big, and she continued to blink frequently, perhaps because of the rain, perhaps not. Teal'c wished DanielJackson could see the regret on her face.  
   
"I might ask you that question," Teal'c returned.  
   
"I screwed up!" she whispered. "He…Oh, God, Teal'c, I can't believe I said that!"  
   
DanielJackson had, as O'Neill would say, a way of pushing one's buttons. Why did he so often do to it to his own detriment?  
   
When GeneralHammond greeted the now-wet team at the SGC, Makepeace made a bland observation about the team still needing to work out the kinks, and Teal'c wondered what would happen in the infirmary. O'Neill would have had words for DanielJackson and MajorCarter, he knew for certain.  
   
But Makepeace simply said to them, "You three need to get your act together. I don't know how O'Neill put up with you for years," and that was all. Teal'c's opinion of the man declined even further. Makepeace managed to get through the post-mission checks first and left the infirmary.  
   
MajorCarter finished as well, but Teal'c found her waiting for their fourth outside the infirmary. DanielJackson was slow in leaving today.  
   
When the young man exited, head down, he seemed surprised to see his teammates waiting for them. To Teal'c's surprise, and apparently MajorCarter's as well, DanielJackson gave her a quick hug. "I'm sorry, Sam. You're right; I shouldn't have pulled you into that. But—no, I just shouldn't have."  
   
The three of them headed towards the elevators.  
   
"I'm just…frustrated. It's not your fault." He raised his face to grin at her. "And he asked _you_ if _you_ had a problem!"  
   
MajorCarter giggled, but then both their faces grew serious.  
   
"You know," DanielJackson continued, "he said that to you because you're the only one he knows has to listen to him."  
   
She nodded. "Yeah, I figured."  
   
"He's…still not sure what to make of me and Teal'c." He favored them both with a smile. "Normally, I'd think that's a good thing …"  
   
"… but not in a team leader," finished MajorCarter.  
   
DanielJackson nodded.  
   
They all glanced around when they reached the corridor junction to be sure no one was in earshot.  
   
"You know, if you give him more of a chance…."  
   
DanielJackson sighed. "I'll try, Sam." He looked around again. "But you need to know—it's for you, Sam." He smiled again, but this was a sad smile.  
   
The only saving grace Makepeace displayed that day came in the debrief. He did say that DanielJackson would not follow orders; GeneralHammond gave the team's youngest a look of disappointment, the archaeologist apologized (more to Hammond than to Makepeace), and they moved on. MajorCarter stiffened when Makepeace threw in a comment about her needing encouragement to pick up the pace, but it appeared to be a joke. He said nothing further negative, and he said not a word about Teal'c. The debrief ended with a pledge from GeneralHammond to send another UAV, with DanielJackson in attendance in the control room, and a request for the team to identify another possibility from three other surveyed planets.  
   
Teal'c knew Makepeace was a little afraid of him from Makepeace's general demeanor and his avoidance of direct address to Teal'c. He suspected that fear also kept him from being too critical of his teammates. Teal'c smiled to himself. Perhaps MajorCarter would yet prove most suitable for this command.  
   
*****  
   
Teal'c was glad the next day to find the SamanthaCarter in DanielJackson's office, the two of them poring over data and footage and debating which of three planets had the greatest merit.  
   
The two eagerly showed him the UAV footage from the first planet.  
   
"No signs of life," MajorCarter said.  
   
DanielJackson disagreed vigorously. "They need to have one of _us_ in the control room when they do the flyover," he said, pointing to the monitor. "These shots aren't good enough; I could be looking at another Petra and not know it! I can't tell if these are caves, windows, or…."  
   
"Spots on the camera?" SamanthaCarter smiled.  
   
The footage was not up to their usual standards, as Teal'c noted politely. The planet was arid, and the UAV appeared to be flying through a dust storm; the flight might have to be redone.  
   
"Now this other one," DanielJackson told Teal'c as he pushed buttons on the remote, "we _really_ don't have any signs of life, but Sam thinks those rock formations should be tested for naquada."  
   
"The MALP tests right around the Gate didn't show any, but this is five miles away," MajorCarter said, keeping her eyes on the monitor in case something else appeared that she had not yet noted. The rocks in question poked through a layer of snow.  
   
"Five miles of up hill and down dale," DanielJackson said with a smile.  
   
"Over the river and through the woods," she added. "It would be quite a hike."  
   
Their deference to each other was apparent; they were still healing from yesterday's argument. Teal'c just nodded.  
   
"But then behind door number 3," DanielJackson said, "we have a nice clearing around the Gate, gorgeous temperatures, and trees"—he pointed to the most obvious feature on the screen—"trees." He stopped short.  
   
"It's not the same without the Colonel to make the same lousy jokes about them," Samantha said sympathetically, touching DanielJackson's shoulder lightly.  
   
"Yeah," DanielJackson said quickly. "Well, maybe one of us can take up the slack. Now what's interesting here," he said, running the video back to the UAV's first images, "is the clearing itself. It _looks_ really well-maintained."  
   
"Deer. Grazing deer," MajorCarter teased. "I hear they're as good as lawnmowers."  
   
Teal'c realized that footsteps in the hall were not merely passing.  
   
"Grazing deer as good as a John Deere? No!"  
   
He held up a hand to silence his friends. When they too heard the steps, they all knew who it was likely to be, and MajorCarter's quick look got a nod from DanielJackson before she stood to acknowledge her commanding officer as he entered the office.  
   
"Glad I found you all in one place," said Makepeace. "Guess what I just heard?"  
   
DanielJackson had automatically folded his arms across his chest, but he self-consciously uncrossed them while MajorCarter said, "What, sir?"  
   
"Your old commander dropped by GeneralHammond's office! Apparently retirement isn't going so well."  
   
DanielJackson stood up. "What's wrong?" he asked.  
   
"Oh, nothing's wrong. O'Neill's just bored. Not surprised. I _was_ surprised, though, to hear that he wants to retire to another planet! You know, the one where he was stuck? With some girl he met there!"  
   
MajorCarter and DanielJackson looked at each other and then at Teal'c, but he could offer them nothing. He shared their amazement, though he did not betray it before Makepeace.  
   
"Laira," DanielJackson said quietly. "Her name is Laira."  
   
"Yeah, that sounds right. Seems a shame you wasted all that time and effort getting him off that planet, seeing as how he's going right back, but at least you know he's okay." For a moment, Teal'c's attitude towards Makepeace softened; the man was correct, and he did seem to have _some_ sense of how the team felt about each other.  
   
"And what did General Hammond say?" asked MajorCarter.  
   
"Well, that's the other big surprise! He's okay with it! O'Neill's gonna have to go without a GDO, but he doesn't exactly have a lot to come back to."  
   
Teal'c nearly growled; the man was lookingat what O'Neill had to come back to. He was leaving his family. So much for his understanding.  
   
The man seemed not to notice the heavy silence or the Jaffa glare. "So I guess he's in Hammond's office finalizing plans. There's not a lot to finalize, from what I can see." He shrugged. "I thought you guys would want to know."  
   
"Thank you, sir," MajorCarter said softly, but she was nearly drowned out by DanielJackson.  
   
"Why do _you_ know?" DanielJackson demanded. "Hammond told you?"  
   
Teal'c was surprised to see Makepeace draw back just slightly. "I was in his office when Jack dropped by. Made the request right in front of me."  
   
The telephone rang. DanielJackson threw an angry look at Makepeace before answering, but he put on a more dispassionate expression to answer the phone.  
   
"General Hammond! Yes, as a matter of fact, they are." There was a pause. "Yes, we can be up there in a few minutes." He hung up.  
   
Makepeace's brow furrowed. "Uh, he wanted to tell you himself?"  
   
"I'm guessing," DanielJackson said with a shrug. "He just asked that the three _original_ members of SG-1 convene in the briefing room."  
   
"Um, you won't tell him I told you, will you? I mean, he didn't exactly tell me not to…." Makepeace followed them out of the office.  
   
"No, sir," said MajorCarter professionally.  
   
DanielJackson ignored Makepeace.  
   
Teal'c smiled at Makepeace before following his two friends and felt very pleased when Makepeace stepped back against the wall to let him pass.  
   
The journey to the briefing room was quiet, broken only by DanielJackson's "I didn't think Makepeace knew where my office _was_ " and MajorCarter's "At least he hasn't found my lab"—which she cut off abruptly, apparently deciding that it was inappropriate, to Teal'c's disappointment.  
   
Teal'c watched both his friends' shoulders slump as they entered the briefing room ahead of him, so he knew that O'Neill was not there. GeneralHammond greeted them with a smile, and no one bothered to take a seat as he told them the news. Not only was O'Neill leaving, he was leaving early the next morning. He was spending the rest of the day wrapping up his affairs, GeneralHammond told them, and had asked not to be disturbed.  
   
In the end, none of them told GeneralHammond that they already knew his news. There seemed little point.  
   
*****  
   
Teal'c had long admired DanielJackson, above all for the forgiveness he gave not once, but repeatedly. He knew it must be difficult. He had not realized until now how difficult it could be to forgive someone—that it was not something done once, and then it was settled, but something that had to be done over and over. Teal'c had forgiven O'Neill only after he meditated for hours. He was not certain he was in a position to forgive O'Neill the harm he had done DanielJackson and SamanthaCarter, but he had tried to put that out of his mind.  
   
But now O'Neill was leaving Earth permanently, and yet he did not see fit to tell his closest friends. Or was Teal'c mistaken? Had he anyone closer? After calming himself and soothing his symbiote at kel-no-reem that evening, Teal'c meditated on the matter.  
   
Was he having himself declared dead? That was an option, Teal'c supposed, since DanielJackson had done it more or less deliberately the first time. Yet DanielJackson had been an orphan with virtually no possessions. O'Neill had a house, vehicles, a cabin in Minnesota, and doubtless other assets; what would he do with them?  
   
As far as Teal'c knew, O'Neill had little contact with his former wife. He never spoke of other relations, except for very rare mentions of his son or stories from his boyhood. He rarely spoke of friends; occasionally he mentioned "poker night" with people not on SG-1, but aside from that, Teal'c knew of no one O'Neill saw with any regularity at all.  
   
When he was returning from his three-month enforced stay on Edora, O'Neill had made no mention of people he needed or wished to see, or work that he needed to do. His bills had been paid by "autopay"; a lawn service had taken care of his yard.  
   
And his teammates had kept up his house. DanielJackson carefully sorted all of O'Neill's magazines by title and date order, went through all the catalogs and saved those he thought might be of interest, and sorted his letters according to some system known only to himself—particularly impressive because DanielJackson had insisted that he could not open O'Neill's mail. The day after O'Neill's return home, he had walked into DanielJackson's office and mocked the disorder there—and the order he had imposed on O'Neill's things. DanielJackson had smiled through it all, Teal'c remembered. MajorCarter had driven O'Neill's vehicles several times each to keep them running in good order, cleaned leaves off his roof, and put his telescope safely in the house.  
   
So Teal'c could not imagine to whom O'Neill would feel closer than to his own team. How could he cut all ties with Earth so casually? Teal'c had cut ties to Chulak quickly, from necessity, but not _casually_. It had hurt him deeply to leave, and his friends later helped him see that endeavoring to conceal the family he had left behind was a mistake.  
   
Now that he was calmer, Teal'c could see no sense in O'Neill's behavior. Retirement would not satisfy O'Neill. He must have something else to do. Fishing on Edora? Not enough. O'Neill must have something else in mind.  
   
Teal'c thought of his teammates making a list on a used sheet of paper and felt better. He could see two possibilities as clearly as if MajorCarter were writing them down:  
1\. O'Neill planned to use the Gate on Edora to access other worlds and continue the fight against the Goa'uld by himself.  
2\. O'Neill planned to use the Gate on Edora to access other worlds and redeem himself so that he might ultimately rejoin SG-1.  
   
O'Neill would not need a GDO. Several planets now had Sagan boxes or other means of contacting the SGC in times of need; he knew their locations and, though he pretended to have trouble remembering, Teal'c was certain that O'Neill could dial Cimmeria and the Land of Light as well as Edora from anywhere with a working DHD.  
   
He could imagine O'Neill continuing the battle himself. To do so would be dangerous, but without a GDO and knowledge of current codes, O'Neill risked little besides himself. He would sooner die than be compromised. There was a slim chance he could be captured and become a host, but Teal'c was confident that he would not; he would choose his missions carefully.  
   
Perhaps O'Neill's ultimate goal was simply to harass the Goa'uld; Teal'c suspected the man could spend a lifetime doing that. Perhaps, however, his goal was to achieve enough to rejoin SG-1. Again, Teal'c doubted Makepeace would lead them for long. The man simply did not, in the Tau'ri expression, "have what it takes" to lead SG-1.  
   
Teal'c did not wish to tell his teammates; MajorCarter might feel compelled to share the information with her superiors. After all, O'Neill had proven untrustworthy with an ally once; she could not risk him endangering relations further. Teal'c felt confident that O'Neill would not bring shame on the SGC, but he had to take account of MajorCarter's position and responsibilities. And DanielJackson? Teal'c felt guilty for not wanting to tell the younger man, but he often could not predict the linguist's reactions. Perhaps after some time had passed and his feelings were less intense, DanielJackson could be informed of the possibilities.  
   
By the time early morning arrived, Teal'c felt better than he had felt in days. He could not ask O'Neill openly; he doubted O'Neill would tell the truth anyway, and he saw no point in letting O'Neill know what he suspected. O'Neill would have to avoid SG-1 at the beginning, at least; knowing that one or more members of the team might be looking for him would make O'Neill's life even harder. But he thought of a way to sound out O'Neill's attitudes with no risk to anyone.  
   
*****  
   
Teal'c arranged for a suitably intimidated guard to call him after O'Neill signed in, and he met his friend at the second rank of elevators. He was glad not to see his teammates there; he had devised an approach they had not.  
   
O'Neill did not seem happy to get on an elevator with him.  
   
"Teal'c," he said at last after the doors slid shut.  
   
"O'Neill."  
   
"Nice of you to see me off." O'Neill kept his eyes on the closed door.  
   
"O'Neill, we have little time, and we may lose our privacy at any moment. You said that you believed stealing the device was the right thing to do."  
   
"Yeahhhh." O'Neill drew out his answer at the end as if rethinking it as he finished the word. "It didn't work out so hot, though."  
   
"Do you truly believe our best defense lies in stealing technology from our allies?"  
   
O'Neill's eyes narrowed. "Why do you ask?" he said with exaggerated courtesy, still not looking at Teal'c.  
   
"Do you believe it?"  
   
"Well, apparently it doesn't work," O'Neill hedged.  
   
"Should I attempt it?"  
   
"Are you _nuts_?" O'Neill did turn his face a little this time.  
   
Teal'c had never felt so gratified to hear such words from O'Neill. "Perhaps if we had not been caught _—_ "  
   
"We? There is no 'we'. I did it, it didn't work, end of story."  
   
Teal'c opened his mouth to ask whether a more skilled thief might succeed, but O'Neill cut him off.  
   
"Do _not_ try this yourself at home, kids. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but it _wasn't_. If you do it, Teal'c I won't need a GDO; I'm coming _after_ you, and I'm gonna kick your _ass_."  
   
Teal'c maintained his stern expression, though he found it unusually hard to contain his joy. The real O'Neill was still there.  
   
And the real O'Neill had not finished. He leaned a little closer and spoke fast while keeping his body facing the door. "You don't say one word about this conversation to Carter and Daniel. And keep an eye on them. If they steal something, I'm going to kick their asses—and yours. And if they get hurt…you don't even want to know."  
   
So O'Neill spoke harshly to Teal'c and denied that he cared even as he demonstrated that he did. Teal'c would play along.  
   
"Understood." Teal'c kept his expression stony and his eyes facing front as the elevator reached the Gate level. O'Neill's demeanor immediately reverted to disinterested.  
   
MajorCarter and GeneralHammond were waiting when the elevator doors opened, and MajorCarter raised an eyebrow at Teal'c.  
   
"Morning, sir," O'Neill said cheerfully, and he and Hammond walked away, speaking to each other.  
   
MajorCarter lingered, keeping Teal'c behind. "Did he say…anything?  
   
"Nothing of import," Teal'c assured her with a twinge of guilt at the falsehood. If his suspicions were correct, however, she would learn eventually, and she might well guess sooner.  
   
The two of them walked to Gateroom.  
   
"I thought Daniel would be here," MajorCarter hissed, looking around. "I can't believe he's going to miss the Colonel leaving!"  
   
"Perhaps he is late," Teal'c offered. He did not believe, however, that DanielJackson would truly fail to appear.  
   
O'Neill left without any pleasantries, but Teal'c bowed, and the military all saluted.  
   
Teal'c walked straight up to the Control Room; MajorCarter followed, calling his name. He was about to continue up to the briefing room, where he suspected he would find DanielJackson, when he realized that the archaeologist was attempting to slip out of the Control Room. He called out.  
   
Daniel turned and greeted them awkwardly. "So he's gone," he added.  
   
"Why didn't you—" MajorCarter apparently noticed the accusing note in her voice a little late and cut herself off. "He might have liked to see you."  
   
DanielJackson shrugged. "Didn't seem like he missed me," he said.  
   
Teal'c was glad that he could say with confidence, "We will see O'Neill again."  
   
Both his teammates looked surprised, but he would not say more.  
   
"Well, I guess we can go to Edora next time the SGC wants to check in with them," MajorCarter said after a moment.  
   
DanielJackson looked around the control room. "Yeah," he said, shrugged again, and left as GeneralHammond entered the room.  
   
*****  
   
Teal'c was not surprised when DanielJackson came to see him that evening as he was lighting his candles to kel-no-reem. He knew DanielJackson would be in turmoil; O'Neill had been part of tremendous transformations in the other man's life as well. Teal'c was not certain it was time to share his suppositions yet.  
   
So DanielJackson's first words after the door was closed were a surprise: "You can't tell anyone, Teal'c!"  
   
He should know he did not need to plead.  
   
"I've got this…idea…." DanielJackson hesitated. "It might sound kinda cracked, the way Jack has been acting the last…oh, ten days or so, but doesn't it strike you as really weird that he would suddenly decide he wants to go to Edora and then just…go?"  
   
Teal'c stared at DanielJackson. The deciding factor in his decision not to tell his teammates his suspicion was a reason, oddly, that Makepeace had stated: while they thought O'Neill remained on Edora, they would think him safe.  
   
"Well, I did some checking." DanielJackson dropped his gaze, embarrassed. "I pretended—well, it doesn't matter _how_ I did it, but I wondered…how Jack managed to wrap things up so fast." He was blushing, Teal'c could tell even in the candlelight.  
   
"DanielJackson," Teal'c said with all the patience he could muster; he still could not determine whether the man had followed the same train of thought he had. "I will not reveal what you tell me."  
   
"Well, I just—I shouldn't have done it, but I checked up on Jack. He's still got his bills on autopay, and he hasn't sold the house or canceled the lawn service. He didn't sell the cabin, either. He didn't end anything. It's like…it's like he plans to come _back_."  
   
Teal'c raised an eyebrow. Another good thing about being considered alien: one did not have to respond when one did not wish to do so.  
   
DanielJackson met his gaze. "I don't know exactly what Jack has planned, but it's something. I didn't want to tell Sam; she's—well, she'd never _betray_ Jack, but she is _military_ , and she might have a duty to tell them something like this."  
   
Teal'c sighed; obviously DanielJackson's thinking paralleled his own in one way, but the rest?  
   
Fortunately, DanielJackson continued, "Okay, here's what I think: I _don't_ think Jack is staying on Edora. I think he's planning to _go_ somewhere and _do_ something. Maybe pick up one of our…loose ends. Maybe see how Harlan and the androids are getting along, see if they've got any new technology we can use, since the higher-ups decided the planet and Harlan are too dangerous to visit again. Maybe he'll go to Cimmeria and try to contact the Asgard again. He might even try to link up with the Tok'ra, but that one I kind of doubt; they might feel they had to ask us why he was on his own, and besides, Jack doesn't really trust them anyway. Except for Sam's dad. But he might want to check on Charlie, the Reetou boy. Machello's planet—I'm not sure we got everything out of there. Or maybe he's looking up Aris Boch, though I'm not sure how he'd do that. But he _is_ Black Ops; he knows lots of things I don't.  
   
"Anyway," he said hastily, "I think he's got plans. And I don't think they include settling down."  
   
The set of DanielJackson's jaw suggested he expected an argument, so Teal'c offered a small smile. He did not often 'get one over on' DanielJackson, so he had to enjoy it while he could.  
   
"I have concluded much the same, DanielJackson," Teal'c told him. "I too did not tell MajorCarter for the reasons you name…and I hoped both of you would think him safe on Edora," he added with a little embarrassment of his own.  
   
"You did?" DanielJackson seemed surprised but pleased. "So you think I'm right?"  
   
"I had not thought so much in terms of O'Neill visiting planets we have previously visited, but yes, I believe O'Neill is eager to continue the fight against the Goa'uld."  
   
"Do you think we'll see him again?" DanielJackson asked anxiously.  
   
"When we left this planet for the coordinates you brought from the alternate universe, we knew we might never be welcome back here, DanielJackson. Yet we were greeted as heroes, because we had saved the planet. If O'Neill accomplishes much, he will be welcome again."  
   
"But he's all alone this time; could he have stopped Apophis's ships that time without us?" DanielJackson asked quietly.  
   
"I do not know," Teal'c answered honestly. "Nor do I know whether he currently intends to return at some time in the future. But what I said earlier today was the truth: I believe we will see O'Neill again."  
   
The relief on DanielJackson's face lightened Teal'c's own heart. DanielJackson stayed and meditated for part of Teal'c's kel-no-reem.  
   
*****  
   
SG-1's next mission was solely for the purposes of checking possible naquada deposits, on the planet of the clearing that the team had reviewed earlier that week. DanielJackson's mood had been better since his talk with Teal'c, but MajorCarter seemed not to have noticed. Her teammates did what they could to cheer her up as she worried that O'Neill would be miserable and would regret his decision. Her teammates, that was, minus Makepeace, whom Teal'c did not really consider a team member.  
   
Teal'c did not reveal his suspicions, but he cheered her with the thought that O'Neill was not cut off from all contact. The next scheduled visit to Edora had been assigned to another team and was two months away, but that was two months in which they knew O'Neill was alive and fishing, not buried under rock or burned by fire rain. And team assignments could be changed.  
   
The prospect of a search for naquada on a pleasant planet did seem to lift MajorCarter's spirits a little, and DanielJackson had confided to Teal'c that he was making an effort to avoid "mouthing off" to Makepeace in the interests of keeping MajorCarter happy. Teal'c confined himself to giving Makepeace significant looks at unpredictable moments, and he took pleasure in Makepeace's reactions, and in Makepeace's futile attempts to conceal them.  
   
The planet itself was beautiful, with a pleasant temperature, a light breeze, and pastoral scenery. They hardly had a moment to enjoy it before Makepeace ordered them to "make this quick."  
   
As Teal'c stepped away from the Gate, he had a sudden feeling of being watched. He looked around cautiously. He could not find anything to give him that feeling: no trampled grass near the gate, no glints of light reflecting from metal, no rustling that was not caused by the gentle wind; the animal noises seemed normal, with no unusual silences and no sounds of fear.  
   
He looked around once more and decided to remain on alert. He found himself in an unexpectedly awkward position: if O'Neill should be on a planet, Teal'c could not make contact in view of MajorCarter and Makepeace, lest he compromise O'Neill or MajorCarter. Yet how could he tell the difference between a hidden threat and a concealed O'Neill?  
   
Teal'c spent the entire mission patrolling the areas where MajorCarter and DanielJackson gathered samples. He saw nothing out of the ordinary and lost his sense of being watched as soon as they left the Gate area. Perhaps he had been thinking too much about O'Neill's possible plans. What were the chances that O'Neill would be on a planet that had not even been on their schedule before he left SG-1?  
   
DanielJackson attempted to argue for a greater search of the area on the basis of the apparently well-groomed grass near the Gate, but they found no further evidence of habitation, and he did drop the matter when MajorCarter's face made it clear he should. Their stay was brief.  
   
They were entering the wormhole when Makepeace bent to tie a bootlace. Teal'c supposed the man didn't want to fall down the ramp on the way back. A pity. Teal'c would have enjoyed the sight.  
   
The team was awaiting  an elevator to take them to the infirmary for the standard post-mission check when the announcement of an unscheduled offworld activation made them turn back. They had just returned to the Gateroom when Hammond called over the speaker, "Everyone who comes through should be disarmed and restrained immediately, with one exception, whom I will indicate to you. They are _not_ friendlies." His cheerful tone seemed at odds with his words.  
   
He added, "SG-1, I think I could use your help here" before joining them in the Gateroom.  
   
Men and women dressed in black were coming through, and the security forces began to secure them. Teal'c wondered who they were; they were clearly human.  
   
And then O'Neill stepped through but kept a hand in the wormhold.  
   
"And here's the man we _won't_ be restraining, folks!" GeneralHammond called out.  
   
Teal'c himself had the opportunity to bind one of the people coming through the gate.  
   
O'Neill smiled at them all, and Teal'c knew he had not been exactly right about O'Neill's plans, but he had not been far wrong either.  
   
"Good job, kids!" O'Neill said. Then he asked Makepeace for one of the plastic ties—and spun Makepeace and restrained him.  
   
"What the hell—what are you doing?" Makepeace sputtered.  
   
"That would be…my job." O'Neill seemed to get the same type of pleasure from Makepeace that Teal'c had, but to a greater degree.  
   
GeneralHammond spoke up again: "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm pleased to announce that you're all under arrest for high crimes against the United States and its allies."  
   
Suddenly Chancellor Travell was in the room; Teal'c had been unaware that she was even on Earth. Now the last piece of the puzzle fell into place, as the Tau'ri said.  
   
Makepeace realized too: "You really blew it, O'Neill."  
   
O'Neill smirked, "Oh, I think it came off quite nicely, don't you, General?"  
   
Teal'c was proud to hear O'Neill tell the temporary "leader" of SG-1, who was complaining that their allies did not share, "We don't need their stuff, Makepeace. We do need _them_."  
   
Yet DanielJackson was not mollified. As the culprits were being removed, he stepped forward. "So, just to, uh, clarify, this whole past week, beginning with the appeal we made on Tollana—on which I did a lot of hard work, by the way—I take it that was all a scam." The wording was that of a question, but the tone was not.  
   
GeneralHammond explained, "Within the last two weeks, the Asgard and the Tollan approached us independently of each other with evidence that we were stealing technology from them."  
   
"We? The SGC?" MajorCarter asked.  
   
"Yes," the general confirmed. "The Asgard, the Tollan and the Nox were going to sever all ties with us. But we convinced them the theft must be the action of a rogue group from outside the SGC."  
   
Travell said proudly, "We insisted that you apprehend them yourselves. You have now regained our trust."  
   
Teal'c found himself hoping O'Neill would say, "Big of you," but O'Neill just stood there looking pleased with himself. Though very glad to see O'Neill restored to them so soon, no longer under any suspicion, Teal'c was not entirely pleased.  
   
DanielJackson voiced Teal'c's own thought: "And you didn't think you could trust us to help?"  
   
"We wanted to assure that your reaction to the Colonel's behavior was as it should be," GeneralHammond said, "and the Asgard insisted that Colonel O'Neill be the only one involved."  
   
O'Neill looked smug, which did not seem fully justified considering what he had done to his team recently. "They like me."  
   
As GeneralHammond escorted Travell from the Gateroom, O'Neill added, "I'm back" with a broad gesture.  
   
MajorCarter smiled at him. "It's good to have you back, sir."  
   
Teal'c agreed, saving anything more for a private talk with O'Neill, but DanielJackson said nothing.  
   
"Um, Daniel?" He signaled for DanielJackson to join him as he left the Gateroom; MajorCarter and Teal'c fell into step. It seemed O'Neill was going to put things right.  
   
"That stuff I was talking about at my house…." Daniel grunted, and O'Neill continued, "The place was bugged, I had to keep up the act."  
   
"I—it's—I understand," DanielJackson said, and he sounded sincere.  
   
"And obviously the whole friendship thing, the foundation, it's all solid."  
   
O'Neill must have said that it was not. Another little flare of anger went off inside Teal'c.  
   
"Obviously, it's—you don't have to…." DanielJackson stammered.  
   
"Nothing to worry about."  
   
"You don't have to…." DanielJackson did protest too much. He was surely angry at O'Neill, even as he was relieved at the safe return of his friend—not only to Earth, but to SG-1. O'Neill should know that DanielJackson's words were too soft, but Teal'c was not certain that he did. Some of the warm feeling in Teal'c's chest came from seeing his friend safely back, but some of it came from anticipating that DanielJackson was about to convey to O'Neill the harm he had done more effectively than Teal'c could.  
   
"No, no, I feel I kinda…. I do appreciate that you were the one that came to see if I was okay. That…that means something."  
   
Daniel stopped and replied, with apparent embarrassment, "Ah, actually, no, it doesn't." He gave MajorCarter and Teal'c a glance. "Um, we, uh, we drew straws. I lost."  
   
DanielJackson began walking again, and MajorCarter followed, without a giggle or even the telltale shaking of her shoulders to betray him. Teal'c suspected that once they turned a corner, at least one of them would be letting go a held breath.  
   
Teal'c favored O'Neill with a smirk he had learned from the man. It felt good. Then he moved to catch up with his friends while O'Neill simply stood there, stunned.  
   
Indeed, as soon as they turned, MajorCarter let out her breath in a whoosh and clutched the wall. DanielJackson's stern face broke apart for a moment in a little smile. Teal'c smiled himself.  
   
"I, um—I gotta run." DanielJackson rushed away.  
   
MajorCarter took another deep breath and resumed walking beside Teal'c, who had already composed himself, as O'Neill managed to catch up with them.  
   
"He didn't really, right? I mean, he's just saying that? Right? Carter, I _order_ you to tell me."  
   
MajorCarter's jaw twitched.  
   
"You are not currently in a position to give MajorCarter orders, O'Neill," Teal'c said severely. "Perhaps you should see to your reinstatement first."  
   
O'Neill looked outraged. "After what I just went through? You gotta be kidding me."  
   
"What you went through. Oh, yes, sir," MajorCarter repeated with excessive sympathy.  
   
O'Neill glared at them both. "Fine. Good to see you too. Catch you later." And he walked very quickly ahead, not quite running—whether to catch DanielJackson or to see Hammond, Teal'c was not certain.  
   
MajorCarter leaned against and then slid down the wall when he was gone. "Oh, God, Teal'c," she giggled. "I don't know whether to hug him or smack him." She caught her breath and looked up at him. "But Daniel got him pretty good."  
   
"Indeed." He allowed himself a real, full smile for the first time in a long time.  
   
*****  
   
Teal'c attended to his other duties in the afternoon, then went to the gym for his usual workout. He was quite surprised to encounter DanielJackson there again, using free weights, with MajorFerretti, and he said so.  
   
"Oh, you know, I have to stay in shape too," DanielJackson answered evasively.  
   
Teal'c raised an eyebrow, but DanielJackson continued lifting weights without answering. While he knew the archaeologist's statement to be true, he doubted that fitness was the man's sole motivation at this time.  
   
Once Major Ferretti had moved to another station, Teal'c concluded aloud, "You avoid O'Neill. He would not think to look for you here."  
   
DanielJackson nearly dropped a dumbbell. Then he smiled. "Can't fool you, can I, Teal'c? But apparently, I _can_ fool Jack." The smile evaporated. "And he sure fooled me."  
   
Teal'c bowed his head briefly. "Eventually, he will think to look here."  
   
"Eventually, I'll go home."  
   
"You cannot avoid him forever."  
   
"I've talked to him enough for today." DanielJackson snorted. "Or he's talked to me. He came to my office. To apologize. He's not very good at it." He rose and restored the dumbbells to their assigned place. "You'd think somebody who could lie so well to my face…could at least pretend better…to be sincere."  
   
He was not looking at Teal'c, but at the space beside him. Then he suddenly turned sideways, as if—  
   
"Teal'c!" a familiar voice came from the doorway.  
   
DanielJackson was indeed trying to hide behind Teal'c.  
   
Teal'c turned to face O'Neill, and he sensed DanielJackson straightening quickly so that O'Neill would not notice the subterfuge.  
   
"Daniel! What are you—" O'Neill couldn't decide whether to smile or not.  
   
"DanielJackson and I were about to spar," Teal'c offered. Teal'c could not hide him, but since DanielJackson's true desire was to avoid conversation at this time, he could still assist.  
   
"Yeah," DanielJackson said with ease. "So unless you want to watch…?"  
   
"Sure! Maybe I can give you some pointers!" O'Neill's cheer was obviously forced.  
   
DanielJackson murmured a quiet "thanks" to Teal'c as they donned their safety equipment and moved to the mat. O'Neill had already sat on the floor near it.  
   
Ordinarily, Teal'c would have focused on training DanielJackson to fight effectively; he still had skills to teach the young Tau'ri. But today, in honor of O'Neill's return, he focused on demonstrating DanielJackson's proficiency, concentrating on how to make the younger man look good in front of O'Neill.  
   
The archaeologist caught on quickly to Teal'c's goals, and Teal'c could feel the other man's enthusiasm for the exercise increasing. Teal'c deliberately used a hold he knew DanielJackson could break convincingly. Jaffa strength was simply too great to DanielJackson, or most other humans, truly to break Teal'c's hold, but he this time used only the force he judged a strong human would use, and DanielJackson indeed broke free.  
   
"When'd ya learn that?" O'Neill called.  
   
"Last week," DanielJackson answered, keeping his back to O'Neill as he and Teal'c squared off again, so that he did not see O'Neill's wince. In truth, they had begun working on that tactic shortly after O'Neill had been trapped on Edora, and DanielJackson had mastered it weeks earlier.  
   
O'Neill looked increasingly surprised and uncomfortable at DanielJackson's prowess. MajorCarter arrived during the display. Teal'c pinned the younger man briefly twice, to make the performance more plausible. After the second time, when he could feel tiny tremors of fatigue in his friend's limbs, he suggested they had had enough for the day.  
   
MajorCarter was already in her workout clothes. "Our turn, sir?" she grinned at O'Neill.  
   
"Oh, I'm not really dressed…."  
   
Teal'c's gaze flitted between MajorCarter's glare and O'Neill's clear realization that he "owed her."  
   
"Well, sure. Give me a few minutes!" He jogged from the room.  
   
As soon as he was out of sight, DanielJackson dropped back onto the mat heavily. "Thanks again, Teal'c."  
   
"O'Neill looked pained when you said you had learned that technique last week," Teal'c observed.  
   
A glimmer of satisfaction showed on DanielJackson's face.  
   
"Ooh, which one?" MajorCarter asked. Ferretti came closer; he had never left.  
   
Teal'c showed her; she had mastered breaking the hold a year earlier, at least when Teal'c did not use his full strength, but it was an advanced skill.  
   
"Yeah, that's still a good one." MajorCarter grinned. "Thanks for the heads-up, Ferretti. I assume you made Daniel look good, Teal'c?"  
   
DanielJackson pulled himself to his feet. "Oh, yeah." He turned to Ferretti. "You called her?"  
   
"She'd have killed me later if I didn't." Ferretti grinned and kept an eye on the doorway, ensuring O'Neill could not surprise them—though Teal'c was certainly on his guard already.  
   
"You think Jack guessed?"  
   
"Nah! I knew you guys hadn't been planning to spar—but damn, Teal'c, if I hadn't had good reason to suspect what you guys were up to, I wouldn't have had a clue…. You made it look so real!"  
   
"Better than professional wrestling." DanielJackson rubbed his chest; his t-shirt was soaked with perspiration. "Much as I'd love to see you beat the crap out of Jack, Sam, I think I'd better shower. And I plan to make my escape while you've got him pinned."  
   
MajorCarter's grin showed off all her teeth. "Don't worry, Daniel. I think you'll have lots of time."  
   
Teal'c stayed to watch the match. O'Neill re-entered shortly after DanielJackson had excused himself and seemed disappointed to find him gone, but he owed MajorCarter a match.  
   
Teal'c could see the moment less than two minutes in when O'Neill decided that holding back had been a bad strategy and began more serious efforts. MajorCarter knew how to spar without injuring her partner, but she was being…less careful than usual. O'Neill would certainly have more bruises than DanielJackson did.  
   
MajorCarter was well-trained and younger than O'Neill. O'Neill had greater experience, more weight, a few inches' reach, and superior arm strength, but he had surely not kept in practice on Edora. He had now been "retired" nearly as long as he had been back from Edora, and Teal'c could see that he was not quite in peak condition.  
   
Teal'c enjoyed the match greatly. When it ended, he offered to take on O'Neill himself. He was disappointed but not surprised when a puffing O'Neill said, "No thanks."  
   
O'Neill stood half bent over, catching his breath, while MajorCarter went to shower with the same smile she had given them when she suggested the exercise. "When did my kids get so good?" he asked Teal'c. He doubtless meant it to be a joke, but his voice betrayed some hurt.  
   
Teal'c looked him in the eye. "Long ago, O'Neill. Were you not paying attention?"  
   
O'Neill straightened up, pain flashing across his face for a moment. But he gave no answer, and his expression became blank. Teal'c went to shower himself. O'Neill had hurt his teammates too deeply for any of them to pretend that a simple word of apology, or even an explanation, could make things right immediately.  
   
*****  
   
The only surprise about the knock the next day was that it had taken a full twenty-four hours for O'Neill to come to his quarters. He put down his magazine and opened his door. He would speak with O'Neill; he had come to terms with O'Neill's actions towards himself easily the night before.  
   
Yet Teal'c needed to be certain that O'Neill realized the damage he had done, however necessary he might have believed his actions to be. Moreover, while he could forgive O'Neill's harshness to him, it was not Teal'c's place to forgive the wounds O'Neill had inflicted on the others.  
   
"Can I come in?" O'Neill asked.  
   
Teal'c stepped back to allow him in and closed the door.  
   
O'Neill plopped himself on Teal'c's bed and looked up at Teal'c, who felt no need to sit. "Soooo…you out for my blood too?"  
   
Teal'c quirked an eyebrow at him.  
   
"Daniel is."  
   
Teal'c left the eyebrow up.  
   
"I s'pose he's right."  
   
Teal'c looked at him. O'Neill seemed to be doing well enough on his own; perhaps Teal'c would not need to say anything.  
   
"Do I have to carry this whole conversation by myself?"  
   
Allowing him to do so would be enlightening…and satisfying. Teal'c lowered his eyebrow and cocked his head.  
   
"Oh, for cryin' out loud! Look, I _told_ you this wasn't my idea! And I argued against it! Hammond'll back me up on this!" He paused, expectant.  
   
Teal'c nodded slightly, savoring O'Neill's frustration.  
   
"Okay, it was a _stupid_ idea. But it wasn't _my_ idea! And if I had said _anything_ …I didn't know who might hear! The Asgard? We don't even know the limits of their technology. And _they_ said it could only be me. But at least they…" his face darkened, and Teal'c felt the first stirrings of sympathy. "The Asgard wouldn't have _killed_ anybody. Can't say the same for Maybourne and his people."  
   
Teal'c raised his eyebrow again.  
   
"I told Carter off bad enough right here on base to make her think twice. So who do I get at my house? Of course, I get Daniel! " O'Neill bent forward, putting his face in his hands.  
   
"Carter? Ah, she's still pissed—but I think half of that's about Daniel. But…I _had_ to get him out of there, and I _had_ to do it fast—if they _weren't_ listening, they must have been watching! I couldn't let him stay too long, and I had to be sure he wouldn't come back."  
   
O'Neill flopped backwards, keeping his hands on his face, but now lying on Teal'c's bed, feet still on the floor. "I know I screwed up, Teal'c. How do I fix it?"  
   
Teal'c waited in silence. That was a rhetorical question, was it not? Surely O'Neill did not expect an answer. They remained that way for a minute, then two minutes.  
   
O'Neill pulled his hands away from his face and looked at Teal'c in the dim lighting of Teal'c's quarters. "Carter forgives me, right? I mean, she's playing mad still, but I can still see the relief in her—don't tell her I said that." He sat up. "But Daniel? Is he _ever_ gonna forgive me?"  
   
Teal'c was not certain how to answer. "What did DanielJackson say?"  
   
O'Neill shrugged. "Things like, 'I'm busy, Jack. I can pencil you in for next week.' And 'A lot of work piled up while I was preparing an appeal for the Tollans to reject. We can talk at the next briefing.' And my personal favorite, 'I understand: you were just doing your _job_.'" O'Neill looked tired.  
   
DanielJackson was correct, as he often was. O'Neill had put his job—no, others' interpretation of his job—before the good of his team. Perhaps it was necessary. That made it no less hurtful. If DanielJackson and MajorCarter had somehow imperiled Earth, or the SGC, O'Neill would be justified in his coldness, and they would have thanked him later, if they were able. But Makepeace had been the problem. And yet they had been required to accept him as a leader, thinking themselves abandoned by the true leader of SG-1—and a close friend.  
   
Teal'c expected O'Neill to say more, but perhaps the other man had adopted his trick of remaining silent until the other person spoke. Eventually, he asked, "And what did you say?"  
   
"Sorry. I'm _sorry_. No, _I'm_ sorry. I'm _so_ sorry. I sounded like a Steve Martin routine!"  
   
Teal'c did not recognize the reference, but now was not the moment for such a question.  
   
O'Neill jumped to his feet and started to pace, then he swung around to face Teal'c. "Have I told _you_ I'm sorry?"  
   
"I do not believe so, O'Neill."  
   
"I'm sorry, Teal'c," O'Neill told him with feeling. "I really am. I wish I could have told you. But I hoped—I figured you'd understand." He looked at Teal'c for a long moment, then walked past him to the far wall—which was not very far—and turned. "I meant to say it to you before, but I was…honestly, I was more worried about Carter and Daniel." He resumed his pacing.  
   
Teal'c allowed, "Sometimes one's responsibilities conflict with the needs of those closest to one."  
   
O'Neill stopped. "Yeah. I guess that's it."  
   
Teal'c nodded. "I accept your apology."  
   
O'Neill's shoulders relaxed just slightly. He walked more slowly. "One down, two to go. Well, Carter _said_ she accepted my apology, but she _had_ to say that, didn't she?"  
   
"Have you been reinstated, O'Neill?"  
   
"No! Yes, but I'm speaking as—aw, hell, Teal'c." He continued to pace. It was annoying. "Whatever I say, she knows I'm her CO. Still. Again."  
   
"And DanielJackson?"  
   
O'Neill snorted. "Daniel doesn't care if I've been reinstated or not."  
   
"On the contrary, O'Neill, he cares a great deal."  
   
"Yeah? So why did he say he'd never trusted my command?"  
   
Teal'c frowned. How had O'Neill known that?  
   
He must have become too readable, for O'Neill added, "He told me himself! Said I should hear it from him before I heard it from anyone else!"  
   
An interesting tactic. Teal'c wondered what DanielJackson meant to achieve, but he often wondered that.  
   
"Who the hell heard that anyway?" O'Neill demanded. "You and Carter, right? Were _either_ of you gonna tell me? No!"  
   
"He said it to Makepeace." Teal'c handled the name with distaste.  
   
"Well, it's not like I'll be holding a conversation with _him_ anytime soon!" O'Neill sat on the bed again suddenly. "You need bigger quarters, Teal'c."  
   
Teal'c looked at each wall. "The room is suitably sized."  
   
"Maybe for you, but it sucks for pacing."  
   
Teal'c realized something he should have realized days earlier: he had heard very few jokes since O'Neill left the team. He missed them, even though Tau'ri humor was often not to his liking. Especially O'Neill's.  
   
"So what do I do?" O'Neill asked again, spreading his hands.  
   
Teal'c stared at him. He was not certain exactly what DanielJackson or MajorCarter wanted from O'Neill; he doubted they fully knew themselves. Words were insufficient; but what more could O'Neill offer?  
   
O'Neill twitched, and Teal'c feared he was about to start pacing again. He sat on the bed in the hopes of distracting O'Neill so that he would not be forced to restrain him physically.  
   
"What do you wish to do?"  
   
O'Neill looked at Teal'c. Then he looked at the wall. Then he looked at his hands. He seemed to be taking his time to think, something he did not always do—or have opportunity to do.  
   
"I just want the team back the way it was," he said softly, rubbing at a hangnail. "Did I wreck that?"  
   
"MajorCarter and DanielJackson would not be so angry if they were not so concerned," Teal'c offered.  
   
"But they _are_ angry. Though I figure once Daniel caves, Carter can drop it; she's just waiting for him."  
   
Teal'c understood why DanielJackson was angry—for the same reasons Teal'c had been. Now they knew that he had been doing his job; there had been no professional betrayal, because the decision not to alert them to the plot had not been his. Yet the personal…. At least O'Neill had not truly attacked Teal'c at a personal level, although it felt that way at first: a betrayal by someone he personally trusted as he had trusted few in his life.  
   
Teal'c wondered again exactly what O'Neill had said to DanielJackson at his home that day.  
   
"Daniel just wants me to suffer, right? And when he's paid me back, at some point, he'll decide that it's over, right?"  
   
That was true. Indeed, Teal'c had been a part of that "payback" yesterday. But where would it end? The four of them had played enough games already. Watching O'Neill suffer was…getting old.  
   
Teal'c decided it was time to 'cut to the chase': "O'Neill. You forced DanielJackson to rethink everything he had thought about you—to rethink the past four years of his life. To question his own judgment." That part Teal'c understood best of all. "In spite of it all, he had reached the conclusion I had: that you had made a mistake and would only ask for forgiveness when you had earned it."  
   
O'Neill interrupted before Teal'c could add anything about MajorCarter: "How the hell would I earn anything on Edora?"  
   
"We did not believe you would stay."  
   
"What?" Clearly, DanielJackson had still not told O'Neill their suspicions. Perhaps he was embarrassed that he had reached the wrong conclusion. And he was indeed still angry. "Carter told me—"  
   
"MajorCarter was unaware of our surmises, though I suspect she would have reached the same conclusion soon. DanielJackson and I independently decided that you would not stay on Edora but continue the fight."  
   
"You thought I'd really stolen the thing, but I was gonna make it up to you guys? Wow." O'Neill smiled. "That's kinda cool, actually." After several moments, he added, "So you still thought there was hope for me?"  
   
Teal'c hesitated. He had said too much by telling him what his teammates thought; it was their prerogative, not his. "Perhaps."  
   
"Well, haven't I _already_ made up for what I did?"  
   
"Your verbal attacks on DanielJackson and MajorCarter were fictitious in origin. Earlier, it appeared that they grew out of shame over your own misdeeds; that made them more…understandable. Now we know that you calculated the most hurtful words. Even now, their necessity is not apparent."  
   
O'Neill winced visibly. "So it doesn't help to say it was for their own good."  
   
"No."  
   
"You weren't supposed to agree with that one!" O'Neill stood up. "I get the point, though." He rolled his shoulders a little, trying to work out some of the tension. "Look, cook-out at my place, 1900 tomorrow. By then, maybe…." He eyed Teal'c. "Get them both there. I can count on you, right?"  
   
But O'Neill didn't wait for confirmation, just gave Teal'c a smile and left. Teal'c realized that despite his initial intent to keep the pressure on O'Neill, he had been coopted. The man was an excellent strategist.  
   
And Teal'c would need to be one too, for he now he had to bring MajorCarter and DanielJackson to the cookout. He already knew he could not retain his anger. As DanielJackson had said on a number of occasions, anger hurt its possessor more than any other. It surely hurt his teammates as well, and that must cease.  
   
*****  
   
In the end, schadenfreude succeeded where entreaties might have failed. Teal'c only approached the pair in the late afternoon, giving them little time to concoct excuses.  
   
Teal'c found them both in DanielJackson's office and extended the invitation neutrally, waiting for their reactions to decide among a number of possible tactics. DanielJackson pointed out that the day had begun rainy and was expected to continue so. The grin on DanielJackson's face as he studied the brightly-colored radar images on weatherunderground.com was soon answered by one on SamanthaCarter's.  
   
She shook her head even as she laughed. "We'll be stuck _inside_ with him, Daniel, and he won't be able to cook! He'll be intolerable!"  
   
DanielJackson only grinned broader. "But he has to be tolerable! Because this is where he begs our forgiveness, right?"  
   
"Yeah." MajorCarter's face creased. "You know, we really ought—"  
   
"No excuses!" DanielJackson pointed a finger at her. "You promised you wouldn't make excuses for him!" He turned to Teal'c.  
   
"I will make no excuses for him, DanielJackson. I will not even bring dessert if you do not wish it." Therein lay his first strategy.  
   
Both his companions' faces fell.  
   
"But you bring such good desserts, Teal'c!" Samantha exclaimed.  
   
"Yeah–it's our guarantee that something will be edible," DanielJackson said.  
   
MajorCarter punched him on the arm. "I was going to bring a salad."  
   
"But we haven't even agreed to go!"  
   
"But I always bring a salad. And you should bring the drinks." They were grinning again.  
   
"Yeah, I think Jack should try Mongozo."  
   
"Really?"  
   
"Oh, yes! It's an African beer. I can't get the banana one here, but I found a place that carries the quinoa beer. Oh!—and some Fruli. It's a Belgian white with…strawberries." Both of them began giggling. "I was so pissed at him—I'd just gotten a local shop to order me some, and then he left—"  
   
They were both snorting like horses now, and MajorCarter sounded like she might choke. Monitoring their alcohol intake would surely be necessary tonight; it seemed that it would take far less than usual to set them off. And DanielJackson did not usually require much beer in the first place.  
   
The phone rang. DanielJackson pulled himself together to catch it by the fourth ring. "Jackson. Oh, Jack?"  
   
MajorCarter walked to a far bookshelf and sat down on the floor, where she began laughing again at a safe distance.  
   
"No. No, Teal'c told us.… That's right, he told Sam too. We've discussed it…." Even now, he drew out his response to pain O'Neill, and O'Neill actually helped him by interrupting, though Teal'c could not make out what O'Neill said. "Yes, we're unanimous." After several more ambiguous responses, DanielJackson finally said, "Oh, no, Jack, you misunderstood—we're all coming."  
   
O'Neill's phone call might have been sufficient even if Teal'c and the rain had not intervened; DanielJackson would have attended if only to have the opportunity to mislead O'Neill. "No, we aren't going to let a little drizzle stop us!" Long pause. "No, I'm _sure_ it's going to let up soon!"  
   
Yellows, reds, and oranges painted the entire radar. SamanthaCarter stumbled into the hallway to laugh.  
   
DanielJackson managed to make it through four more responses before he hung up. Then he collapsed on his desk and began wheezing. Teal'c was momentarily alarmed, and then the archaeologist raised a red face from the desk.  
   
MajorCarter ran back into the room. "It's on?"  
   
DanielJackson said thoughtfully, "Heraclitus quotes Pittacus to the effect that 'forgiveness is better than revenge.'" He paused for effect. "But I don't see this as an either/or thing; do you?"  
   
And so the three of them went together in DanielJackson's car to O'Neill's house, stopping along the way for a chocolate ice cream cake, some macaroni salad, and a selection of imported beer.  
   
O'Neill detested macaroni salad.  
   
Teal'c had to admit that while their revenge was decidedly nontraditional, it had much in its favor. Foremost would be what O'Neill termed "style points." Or perhaps first should be the fact that the victim survived, unlike in customary Jaffa revenge methods—although MajorCarter's work yesterday had surely left a few bruises. Teal'c was glad O'Neill had not accepted his offer of sparring; he was afraid he would have done worse damage than MajorCarter, and now he would have regretted it.  
   
They did find much entertainment in O'Neill's facial contortions at the scientists' offerings; Teal'c managed to stow the box he'd brought in the freezer while O'Neill was too distracted to learn that there was one thing he might actually like. He returned from the kitchen to find an apparently crestfallen DanielJackson taking O'Neill's refusal to try the beers very hard. Naturally, O'Neill gave in and accepted a Mongozo.  
   
O'Neill had, of course, believed DanielJackson's account of the weather and kept checking the sky miserably. But he did not ask for well over an hour.  
   
To Teal'c's surprise, it was DanielJackson who made the first move. After much small talk—very small—DanielJackson changed the subject, saying, "You know, I should have known he was a cold, lying bastard."  
   
O'Neill stiffened, doubtless afraid he was the target.  
   
MajorCarter attempted to look serious over her Fruli. "You're right, Daniel. I can't believe I missed it."  
   
The look in DanielJackson's eyes easily persuaded Teal'c to nod knowingly.  
   
O'Neill fiddled with the label on his Mongozo.  
   
"Fine," said O'Neill carefully after he walked over to look out the window again. "Why—how…?"  
   
"I should have known Makepeace was a cold, lying bastard because he never listened to me," DanielJackson said patiently before taking another sip of beer.  
   
It was a peace offering, and Teal'c was confident that O'Neill would recognize it as such.  
   
And O'Neill did, in his own way. "Yeah, he was stupid that way." He looked out the window again. "So where the hell did you get your information that it's gonna stop?" he asked, gesturing at the torrent outside. Now he was starting to act like himself.  
   
DanielJackson wrapped his arms around his torso. MajorCarter suddenly declared a need to use the "facilities". This time her shoulders were shaking quite visibly.  
   
" _Wait_ a minute. Stop right there, Carter!"  
   
Now DanielJackson was shaking. Teal'c suspected he was about to see his first true case of Rolling On The Floor Laughing.  
   
"You liedto me!" O'Neill's face flashed with anger for a moment, then he reined it in. Then he let it out again. "You _lied_! You _hypocrite_!"  
   
MajorCarter had not in fact gone to the toilet, but she was hiding in the kitchen.  
   
O'Neill picked up a couch cushion and stood over DanielJackson.  
   
Teal'c stepped in. "O'Neill, I cannot allow you to do that."  
   
DanielJackson stopped his silent laughter long enough to say, "You tell him, Teal'c!" Then the laughter was no longer silent.  
   
"Why not?" O'Neill challenged Teal'c, legs spread apart. He put down his foreign beer. He still wielded the cushion.  
   
"You brought this on yourself, O'Neill." Teal'c smiled. "And if you do any further harm to DanielJackson, I will be forced to take action."  
   
O'Neill looked at the cushion in his hand and dropped it, raising both hands in surrender, but Teal'c saw in his eyes that the phrase " _further_ harm" had hit home. "Okayyy." He turned to look in the kitchen. "So, Carter—would you please spoon me out some macaroni salad?"  
   
Eventually, they broiled the steaks in the oven. Eventually, Teal'c produced the ice cream cake. The sky outside turned to black, but the house stayed bright inside. The conversation remained mostly small talk. They were not yet ready to talk about recent events together.  
   
Teal'c needed no revenge of his own now; he trusted that O'Neill knew that MajorCarter and DanielJackson had let him off easy. O'Neill still looked as though he had not slept well, but Teal'c suspected they would all sleep well tonight. O'Neill insisted it was too rainy to leave and that he had lots of space. Playing on his remaining guilt, MajorCarter managed to claim O'Neill's bed, and DanielJackson secured the spare room. Teal'c was satisfied with the den, where O'Neill took the sofa.  
   
The next morning, three of them might need painkillers. But they would deal with that tomorrow. While most of Earth remained alien, O'Neill's home felt as comfortable to Teal'c as his own quarters. And more comfortable than his old Jaffa armor.  
   
Teal'c hoped that it was a sunny morning so that he could wake O'Neill up both bright and early. Perhaps some jogging, and then a little sparring before a hearty breakfast.  
   
Perhaps he was not entirely beyond the need for revenge. But mostly.  
   
   
 _FIN_  
 


End file.
